Dragonbreak Chronicles
by LJ-Zero
Summary: Dragonbreak Chronicles is an alternative universe starting from Volume 20 of the original DxD Light Novels. Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time, has been watching Issei grow his merit and evolve into a stronger being, causing the Forgetten Dragon God to invest in him, changing the upcoming events of Highschool DxD forever... read to witness the change in the currents of time!
1. The Encounter, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Telepathy

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

" _ **..."**_ \- Akatosh

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hello, fellow DxD fanfiction readers!**_

 _ **So this is my third, and probably last time I will heavily edit these chapters.**_

 _ **I welcome you to my most prized creation of literature: Dragonbreak Chronicles.**_

 _ **So the question you're probably asking me is: what the hell is Dragonbreak Chronicles, and how it is different from the other DxD fanfictions? Dragonbreak Chronicles is a Alternate Universe, based off on some elements of one of the most influential game series in the gaming industry, the Elder Scrolls, more particularly, Skyrim. Although I will be using heavy elements from the Elder Scrolls series, this fanfic will not be a crossover.**_

 _ **To those who are familiar to Elder Scrolls games, yes, Akatosh is literally the center point of this story (besides Issei). Before putting down reviews saying that this story should be a crossover, let me briefly explain:**_

 _ **I made a OC Dragon God based off on Akatosh, who happens to have the same name and occupation, but the similarities end there. There is no Daedra or Aedra, Aduin, ect ect, thus, there is no reason to classify it as a crossover.**_

 _ **Arc I of the fanfiction will start at the beginning of canon Volume 20 and work it's way up to Volume 21 of the franchise; Although I will be taking quotes and events directly from these two volumes, they will be adjusted with a lot of twist, turns, and tweaks by yours truly.**_

 _ **It is extremely recommended for you guys to read the LN; if you only watch the anime, and refuse to read the LN, then this story is probably not for you, and I completely understand (that is why I gave warning). But if you don't care and still insist, go ahead and enjoy!**_

 _ **Throughout the fanfiction, I will be using japanese honorifics (—san, —chan, —sama, —kun, —dono) in dialogues, to get close as much as possible to the dialogue style of the Light Novels (I am a bit of a fanatic with the DxD LNs, if it isn't obvious already). So, if you're bothered by it, well, that's really on you.**_

 _ **The plot of this fanfiction will be focused in these two questions: What if Issei was given an alternative power that can possibly defeat Trihexa? What will be the price for this power and how will it affect the world of DxD?**_

 _ **The chapters, ideally, can be released monthly. But because my motto is to release more quality than quantity, and reality tends to take me away from typing, the updates can take awhile. During summer vacations, things are bit different.**_

 _ **Reviews and civilized constructive criticism are certainly welcome! Thanks for your cooperation!**_

 _ **Of course, let us not forget, and I will always put this in every chapter: Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

The Encounter, Arc I

— _Please go out with me._

Everything started from that one loving, charming confession from a certain Fallen Angel. This is where Hyoudou Issei, navïe to the supernatural world, got his first taste of blood and death.

— _I am Rias Gremory. I am a Devil. And I am your Master. Nice to meet you, Hyoudou Issei-kun. Can I call you Ise?_

From his first death, it led him towards a chain of events that will forever change his life. After being pierced by the Fallen Angel known as Raynare, a Pure-Blooded Devil Princess by the name of Rias, reincarnated Hyoudou Issei into a Devil.

Whether or not she helped him out of generosity or greed, it is debatable.

— _Ahahahaha! It's impossible! Because she died! That girl is dead, you know? It's not the matter of whether you protect her or not. You couldn't protect her! You couldn't protect her back at evening and even now! You really are a weird boy! It's so amusing!_

His first merit was taking down Raynare, and attempting to save Asia, an ex-nun, from having her Sacred Gear taken away. Although it was unfortunate, Asia had already been doomed the moment Raynare took the [Twilight Healing] from her. But then again, because of Rias's generosity, or perhaps her selfishness, she reincarnated Asia into her ranks, allowing the ex-nun the chance to live happily, as a Reincarnated Devil.

During this time, Issei discovered that his Sacred Gear was one of the thirteen longinus that allowed the user the ability to kill Gods. His Sacred Gear was the [Boosted Gear], which holds the legendary [Heavenly Dragon], Y Ddraig Goch.

— _Fire bird and Fenghuang! The hellfire of our clan that was praised as being that of a Phoenix! Taste it with your own body and turn into ashes!_

He fought with Riser, a High-Class Devil who was engaged to Rias, and won by sacrificing his arm to obtain the imperfect version of [Balance Breaker]. Winning against Riser made Rias realized that Issei was the one who was worthy of her love, and she rewarded her [Pawn] with a kiss on the lips.

— _No. I'm living so I can seek my revenge. Holy-sword Excalibur. Destroying that is the reason why I am living._

He encountered the incident involving the possession of Excalibur. During this time, he reunited with Irina and met Xenovia, first as enemies, then as temporary allies who had a common goal. His best friend, Kiba, was driven by revenge to destroy the legendary sword [Excalibur]. Amidst the chaos, Issei did not spare a moment, and engaged with one of the leaders of the Fallen Angels; at the end, he met Vali Lucifer, his rival. Ironically, Xenovia became a Reincarnated Devil after hearing the news of God of the Bible's death.

— _Do you think a world without God is wrong? Do you think a world without God would decay? I am sorry to say, but that isn't the case. Both you and I are healthily living like this._

— _The world moves even without a God.  
_  
He witnessed the signing of the Alliance of the Three Great Powers up close, and one of the first attacks of the [Khaos Brigade], a terrorist organization capable of destruction.

— _Ise-san, I love you. I will always stay beside you._

He survived the experience of Juggernaut Drive, and strengthen his relationship with Asia. He was also attacked by the Evil God Loki and Fenrir, when it has or hasn't been 6 months since he reincarnated into a Devil.

— _Hyoudou Issei! I won't lose! There is a dream I need to fulfill!  
_  
He conquered the Rating Game of the Underworld's Youth and then promoted to a Mid-class Devil.

—… _Friend? What's the benefit if I become that?_

— _I want to confirm._

— _Hyoudou Issei. What are you?_

At the decisive battle against the Hero-faction, he went through a life and death experience during the monster crises and was resurrected by the power of Ophis and Great Red, which is an unpredictable happening. He then proceeded to defeat the Jabberwocky and Cao Cao in that flow.

— _Rias-buchou, Akeno-san, Koneko-chan, Yuuto-senpai, Asia-senpai, Xenovia-senpai, Irina-senpai, Ravel-san, Rossweisse-san, Azazel-sensei, and the Sekiryuutei—Ise-senpai. After all, all of you are my precious comrades…_

Then it was the battle against Qlippoth. He received an assault from the Evil Dragon Grendel and witnessed the destruction of the country of Vampires up close.

— _Hey, Ise-kun. If I ever get used by them…will you please kill me?_

He was there during the hijack of Agreas.

— _An angel's kiss! It was because the scene was so beautiful. People would naturally want to kiss like this._

— _Everyone, make this become a happy Kuoh Academy. No, I'll do it. So, I'd like everyone to please take care of me.  
_  
When the year was about to end, he was present during the Qlippoth's assault of Heaven. He then accepted the challenge from the Church's swordsman as soon as the new year began, and won the challenge…

The Dragon God of Time viewed these accomplishments, and watched as Issei continuously grow his merit; it amused him that this generation's Sekiryuutei sole purpose was obtaining an ultimate harem and become the embodiment of sexual desire.

" _ **I have decided… perhaps, this generation's Sekiryuutei can acomposilsh what the others could not."**_

The Dragon God made his decision.

From that moment on, Issei's life will switch directions once again.

Whether it's for the better or worse.

-Line Break-

It was during the night before what suppose to be the celebration of Xenovia becoming the Student Council President. Everything was still and quiet throughout the neighborhood, and the air was chilly and dense, which was typical weather for the winter season. Inside the Hyoudou residence however, the warmth of the expensive complex made every room cozy and comfortable, and the residents living inside it can enjoy the sparkling snow lightly dropping onto the ground from the view of the window with a cup of coffee or chocolate on their hands, if given the opportunity.

Issei, was exactly doing just that. Since the house was designed by a designer who is sponsored by Ajuka Beelzebub, who happened to be fond of creating hidden rooms, Issei accidentally stumbled across a hidden bedroom that looked identical to his old room before the house was remodeled. The room contain one queen-size bed, a desk with a desktop with all its necessities and enough room to write, a rolling chair, and a window… which had a amazing view of the scenery outside. Carrying his hot chocolate, Issei welcomed himself in to his new found discovery, and triumphantly sat down on the chair. After a few seconds, he started to feel nostalgic, as he remember when he had posters of his favorite anime shows posted upon his wall, and alarm clocks that had voices of attractive woman and girls that always woke him up.

Before he realized, Issei moved his chair close to window, and dozed off, staring at the white snow. A few days ago, the anti-terrorist team [DxD] had peacefully dispatched the church rebellion, which consisted of Vasco Strada, Teodoro Legrenzi, and Ewald Cristaldi, plus their subordinates. (A/N: Peacefully dispatched, as in both sides did not suffer any casualties).

As he remembered the duel, the words that Vali said to him came across his thoughts, like a terrible flashback:

" _It means that there are those who find it painful in what you call peace."_

Those words were glued into him ever since.

Even if Issei wanted to forget, with all the events he encountered, it was difficult to not think of Vali's words.

At first, he thought about why did it mattered to him; as long he continues to work on becoming the harem king and protect those he loved, he shouldn't really care about those ideals. But the more he put time into thinking about it, the more his resolve to forget shatters.

" _How can I convince those who hate the peace to change their views?"_ he asked himself.

Of course, he, or anybody he knows, does not know the answer.

Nor was he bothered to research.

He had no idea why that question appeared on his mind. Perhaps, it's due to the fact that the peace that he and his friends earned and work so hard for, will soon be threaten again, knowing that Rizevim would not just run with his tail behind his legs. Rizevim had a slight advantage over them, and at any moment, he will begin his grand plan of creating his utopia using Trihexa and his mass produced army of [Evil Dragons], if he found the location of the legendary beast.

As Issei was contemplating, he thought he felt a presence entering the room; the shiver ran across his back like waves, but he shrugged off the feeling, thinking that it was just his nerves.

However, the said person crept up to him, and surprised him with a hug from behind. Her breasts were grinding against his back, creating a pillow-like sensation that was beyond godly to Issei. Because of the surprise, the blood was rushing through his nose, causing him to bleed.

"Ise~ Whatcha doin'?" the one who was hugging him from behind, was no other than his master, but more importantly, his girlfriend, Rias Gremory. She was certainly in a good mood, having to call his name in a cutesy tone and pulling her face close to his, almost rubbing his check with hers. Her crimson hair was wet and had strong scent of shampoo, and the clothes she weared were a bit revealing, as if she purposely wore them just to excite her perverted boyfriend.

"H-Hey Rias." Issei replied with hint of shyness in his voice, causing him to slightly stutter, as he wiped the blood off his nose with some tissues. Usually, whenever Rias or any other of his female companions surprise Issei with a hug from behind, he would say some barbarous statements about his undying love for 'Oppai'. (A/N: Oppai translates to breasts in english) This time however, he was mentally occupied and couldn't really say something ridiculous.

"...What's wrong? That's not your usual reaction." Rias immediately noticed, and rested her face upon his shoulder. Although she did find his reaction to be a little bit cute, she was disappointed since the atmosphere that he was letting out was a let down. It was as if he wanted to be alone and not be bothered.

"It's nothing. Just… enjoying the view, and drinking some hot chocolate." he sighed, then took another sip from his mug. The chocolate milk was made by his Mother and Asia, so it was no surprise that he found it quite soothing and warm with every sip he took. Asia herself said that she ' _made it with love'_. It certainly did made Issei's heart skip a beat when he saw her emerald-like eyes beam at his with such tenderness and warmth.

"So, you're in a room by yourself?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yeah." he answered nonchalantly, scratching his face to satisfy the urge to itch. Rias stared at him concernedly, not understanding what was going, or what he was going through. Although she wanted to believe that Issei was just studying, meditating, or just relaxing, his facial expression was smug and tiresome.

"No, there's definitely something wrong. It's written all over your face, and I can tell."

"...It's really nothing, Rias. I swear." he said, but it was almost as if he begging to not pry into his business.

"...We can talk about it."

"I'll tell you another time then. Just... not now." Issei made himself perfectly clear that he was not willing to have the conversation. She wanted to protest against it, but then she realized it's better to leave it alone, and ask another time. She gave up and decided to trust on his word, although it was still strange for her to find him all by himself, and determined to not talk about his troubles.

"...Then, can I stay with you?" she asked shyly, acting like a girl of her age, but she had full confidence that Issei would allow her to stay with him; if not, she'll use her sex appeal to persuade him. She blushed and hold on to him even tighter, as Issei felt her heartbeat through her breasts. He gulped, and his mood switched within a flick. Forgetting the words Vali said to him, Issei shifts his gaze to his red-hair girlfriend with a joyous expression.

"Of course you can!" he shouted excitedly, causing Rias to smile happily, as she shouted a mental 'yay' in her mind. Rias then predicted that Issei was just feeling a bit under the weather because he was simply lonely and had nobody to talk to the entire day. She did find it strange, however, she let it slide.

"Fufufu, what's with the change of mood?" Rias asked. Issei was flustered with embarrassment, narrowing his eyes away from her.

"...Don't tease me."

"But teasing you is one of the best things in the world." Rias smiled playfully. Issei rolled his eyes, causing Rias to giggle.

"So what now?" he curiously asked.

"Since we're alone… what do you think we should do?" the redhead said flirtatiously, tempting Issei to use his wildest imagination. She watched her beloved's eyes widen with sexual desire, and a perverted expression appeared on his face, making him 20 years older than what he is.

The usual atmosphere came back to him, and once again, his mind had nothing but the imagination of glorious busts, thicknesses, and mysterious sides of a woman's body. Issei's eyes beamed towards Rias's breast that were under her pajamas, and his face immediately blushed, but his smile was devilish and playful like. Rias giggled as she watch her boyfriend lose his head over seeing her stark naked.

"You want a peek?" she asked seductively, slowly unbuttoning her shirt one by one.

"Yesssssssss!" he agreed with a 200% approval.

Rias simply unbutton her shirt slowly to add more dramatic effect, but Issei saw it in a different perspective; the buttons on her pajamas were like locks, and everytime she unbuttoned one, the sound of clicking and twisting of hinges can be heard, opening something more scared than a legendary artifact.

Once she finished unbuttoning her shirt, she took it off; in Issei's eyes, the shine of golden light blinded him temporarily, leaving him more anticipated than ever… only a few more seconds before beholding the treasure! When he opened his eyes, he saw something that he had not expected. Rias also took off her pants, revealing a stunning sight to his eyes.

Rias was wearing a bikini; usually, it would excite Issei to see Rias in a lewd swimsuit, however she was only wearing an average two piece. But what made her more appealing and glamorous, was her fidgeting and bashful expression; her shoulders moved side to side, her breast sway with utmost excellency, and her thighs slightly twist and turn.

Overall, she looked cute. If anybody knew the difference between sexy and cute, it was Issei.

Since Rias and Akeno are older than him, Issei usually sees them in an adult way; the two Onee-sans use their sexiness as their attractiveness. However, Asia, Irina, Ravel and Koneko have a more 'cute atmosphere', and Issei sees them as something precious and gentle.

Xenovia was just power-idiot who lack common sense, who happens to have big breast. Well, Irina and Asia are also in same category, since they were raise in the church and lack common sense, but not as much as Xenovia.

In the end, it did not matter, because they were extremely attractive, have big breasts (expect poor Koneko), and they absolutely love him.

Rias coughed, grabbing Issei's attention from his thoughts.

"I brought this because I thought it looked cute on me. The graduation trip is coming soon, so I decided to buy it for I can wear it during the trip to Okinawa. ...I haven't shown it to nobody yet, so… um… I was thinking, maybe you can critique?" she spoke in a low tone, a bit embarrassed on the reasoning why she brought the swimsuit.

"...It's amazing. You look so beautiful, I mean, everything you wear makes you look beautiful." Issei spoke honestly from the bottom of his heart.

"...Really?" she shyly asked to get confirmation.

"Yeah, really." Issei answered without any hesitation.

"Thank you~!" she launched on to him, and hopped on between his legs, leaning her body against his.

Despite crushing his testicles (which the pain was quickly gone because of Rias's 'you know what' was on top of his shaft), Issei immediately overheated upon Rias's actions; to sudden feel the ampleness of her buttocks grinding against his lower abdominal muscles was a pleasure beyond divine for him.

" _This is heaven…"_

"Ara, ara, 'little Issei' seems to be awoken by my presence." she teased him, running her fingers through his chin. Issei immediately noticed that Rias was using some of the usual dialogue that Akeno used when she was attempting to seduce him. The seductiveness and power of a Pure Blooded Devil 'Onee-san' is a force to be wreck with, and although Issei had numerous experiences with Rias and his lovely female companions, there was only a few times where it escalated into something passionate and lewd.

"R-Rias…" he couldn't help himself but moaned her name in ecstasy. Rias's eyes became lustful, but also sympathetic and a bit sorrowful.

"...I know how lonely it gets, Ise. The time we can spend with each other… is really limited, ever since Qlippoth started their assault. Because you are the Sekiryuutei, and I am the heiress of the House of Gremory, we are always busy, and never find time to appreciate each other… and love one another." Rias emotionally whispered into his ears, as her face gets closer to his. She plucked her lips a few times, and she passionately gazed into his eyes.

"...Ne? Please kiss me, Ise." she closed her eyes, and awaited for the sensation upon her lips that she craved for so long. Issei obliged, and leaned into her soft lips, gently kissing her. When he kissed her, all the switches that were within her brain went on. She kissed back with a little more force, smacking her lips against his, and deeply inhaling his breath. The fact that she was on top of him excited her even more, as she grasped onto his head and pulled him towards her. Feeling a little kinky and daring, Issei moved his tongue inside her mouth, signalizing her to do the same. The tongues intertwined with each other, and the tastebuds gave them the ecstasy and pleasure beyond anything that they had experienced before.

Rias grabbed Issei's hand and pulled it towards her, beyond the fabric, causing him to feel her raw breast. Feeling her body temperature and the ampleness, Issei's mind melted in seconds. Rias finally broke the kiss, as a string of saliva appeared between the two lovers.

The mouth to mouth sensation was wet and hot, leaving the couple begging for more.

Issei's common sense snapped; all the hesitations he had to endure, finally made him more serious than ever before.

This time, unexpectedly, Issei took the lead, and hurled Rias towards the queen size bed. Rias wasn't pushed hard, but she was surprised.

Issei actually pushed her down.

"I-Ise?!" Rias was shocked, and a bit afraid of this new side of him.

"...I'm sorry, Rias. I can't hold on anymore… I want to become a man…!" he declared. Her eyes widen at hearing such a declaration; her heartbeat went from drumming to punching. Her chest ached with such happiness, so much that tears rolled down from her soft, blushing check.

Of course, she hesitated.

She wanted the 'union' to happen after the marriage.

But how could she say no to such determination?

"...You'll take responsibility, r-right?" she asked.

"Yes, absolutely."

That was all she needed.

"...Then take me!"

Issei went in for another kiss, and Rias responded with the same velocity and force.

The kiss lasted even longer than before, setting a new record of three minutes and twenty seconds. As they pulled away from the kiss, they gasped for air, panting and moaning with pleasure.

"...Don't stop Issei! I want us to explore the passionate love that we never got the chance to explore… I feel as if we stopped now, we won't get another opportunity like this soon enough. So… please, let's keep—" Rias expressed her sexual desire to Issei, as she moved her hand towards the place where all the magic happens, the forbidden zone of Issei's body. Just as she was about to pull down his pants and expose his shaft to the open air, heavy footsteps can be heard through the door.

The trespasser heard everything.

"How! How can this be…!" although his vision was blocked by Rias (Rias moved on top of him as they kissed), he clearly recognized that voice and it surprised him.

The one who trespassed into the room was Asia herself.

"Ise-san and Rias-oneesama… to have a secret rendezvous… Unacceptable! Unfair! I also want to be with Ise-san!" Asia protested and pouted, shouting at Rias like a spoiled child who wants its favorite toy back. As Rias was about to retaliate and Issei was about to make excuses, more reinforcements came and saw what was going on.

Akeno, Xenovia, Irina and Koneko saw what seem to be the interruption of their foreplay. Envious, and inspired, they're eyes glistened towards the couple.

"Arara, looks like Asia-chan ruined Rias and Ise-kun's moment." despite saying that, Akeno sadistically licked her index finger in excitement when she saw the affair that was about to commence; luckily, Asia stopped Rias and Issei from doing anything before Akeno had the chance to do something drastic.

"See Irina? If Asia was a bit bolder, she could have taken Issei in one fell swoop! We must follow her example!" Xenovia said to her best friend Irina, as her eyes shone with admiration, praise, and enlightenment.

"Eh?! N-No! It's wrong to take away Ise-kun from Rias! A-Although… it doesn't sound like a bad idea…" Irina blushed furiously at the thought of taking Issei from Rias. For a moment, she imagined herself on top of Issei instead of Rias, and then her wings immediately flicked like crazy, making her erase the thought from her head.

"Ah, so you thought about it? As expected for the lewd self-proclaiming Angel." Xenovia teased, enjoying herself in taking mental notes and boosting her best friend's morale. Irina's face had gotten even redder, and she looked away from the scene.

"...This is very vulgar, Senpai." Koneko harshly remarked, but still look at the couple with wide and determined eyes, taking mental notes for future references.

"I-I'm sorry Rias-sama and Ise-sama!" Ravel, who came to investigate what was happening that caused all the ladies to go inside the room, apologized, although she had nothing to apologize for.

"...Mou!" Rias exploded in anyonace, and pouted heavily.

"You guys are ridiculous! To interrupt me and Ise…!" Rias hopped off of Issei, and stormed towards Asia and Akeno, engaging them into a fierce argument.

This was the everyday occurrence for the Girls' Club of Hell; it was a literal battle for the affections of one man: Hyoudou Issei.

Issei was about to watch the terror and horror unraveled between his female companions, and there was no way stopping them.

" _Not this again!"_ he screamed within his thoughts, knowing how drastic this will end up if doesn't stop them.

"Ara ara, did you know eating him when you find a chance is what you call having an affair? Rias, you shouldn't let your guard down, you know? Besides, it's not like I'm the only one… Asia-san could have pushed you down and take over~"

"I-I-I also want the chance to eat him, whenever I can!" following the example of Akeno, Asia declared towards Rias with blushing cheeks from embarrassment. Rias was taken aback by Asia's declaration and influence, angrily glaring at Akeno for tainting the pureness of Asia's innocence.

"...Asia-senpai, do you even know what you're saying?" Koneko remarked in the sidelines alongside with Ravel. Ravel felt too embarrassed to say anything, so she stood quiet.

"Ooooooo! Asia is taking a stand against the legal wife! Irina, we should definitely— I-Irina?" Xenovia was pumped and over inspired by Asia's stance against Rias, but when she turned toward Irina to discuss her opinion, she found Irina filled with concern.

"Irina, what's wrong?" despite the chatter and arguments, Xenovia was able to project her voice enough that Irina can clear hear.

"It's Ise-kun. He doesn't look so very well…" she said, getting Xenovia's attention.

"Now that you mentioned it, he usually does tries to stop us from getting too chaotic. Ah, maybe he's feeling uncomfortable because he's gone limp since we interrupted him and Rias. Should we take over?"

"W-What are you saying dummy?!"

"It's true, isn't it Irina?"

"...W-Well… anyways, let's check on him." Irina suggested, as she walked towards

Xenovia agreed, as she walked up to him and place her hand over his forehead.

"It doesn't seem like he has a fever. Are you okay, Issei?" Xenovia asked, taking her hand away.

"...It's not that I am sick, I am just sexually frustrated." he sighed, putting his hand over his face in exhaustion. Akeno, Asia, and Rias were still arguing about the incident earlier, and Koneko and Ravel decided to leave the scene hurriedly to not get caught in between Rias and Akeno.

"Come on Xenovia, let's help Ise-kun feel better!" Irina exclaimed happily, as her eyes sparkled with tenderness.

"He's not sick, Irina. He's sexually frustrated."

"E-Eh? W-What does he mean by that?"

"Obviously, he was about to have intercourse with Rias, then we came in. Hm, it does gives us an enormous opportunity over everyone else. Or perhaps you wanted to take advantage of him? You are sure etroic and lewd for an angel."

"M-Mou! That is absolutely ridiculous! Why would you think that in the first place?!There's no way I'll take advantage—"

"You say that, but yesterday you were playing a certain eroge inside that room. If my memory serves me right, the main protagonist was sick, and the heroine had to 'take care' of him. Did it left you an impact when Issei had the Devil Flu, and we cross played as nurses?" Xenovia narrowed her eye towards her best friend in a scheming way. Irina's face became beet red, and she couldn't help herself but to retaliate. (A/N: That room that Xenovia was talking about is the Dimensional Room that Michael gave Irina, which allows her to have sex with Issei without falling).

"Y-Y-You were there as well!"

"Ah, but see? At least I am able to admit it."

"Mouuuu! Darling, Xenovia is bullying me!" Irina cried and faced towards Issei, expecting him to comfort her and resolve the situation.

"It's not like I am in any position to help you, Irina…"

"You're going to abandon your childhood friend?!" she cried.

"N-No…"

"Say Ise, why won't you go with us to the [Ero Room] for tonight? We can have sex there as much as we want."

[What?!]

" _Ah shit, they heard Xenovia—"_

-Line Break-

After flirting with Rias, stopping the rivalries between his female companions, and finally getting comfortable on his bed (he is now sleeping in his regular room, alongside with the ladies, as usual), Issei felt the liberation of relief on his chest, and sighed deeply in exhaustion.

" _It's going to be hard being a Harem King if this is what I have to go through everyday…"_ he thought to himself.

Rias, Akeno, Asia, Xenovia, Irina, Koneko, and Ravel were already fast asleep, allowing him the time to think.

Well… it's supposed to be like that, but…

"…Suu~ Suu~."

"…Ise-san."

Rias's breathing and Asia's sleep-talking can be heard, but it was an everyday occurrence, so it didn't matter to him.

Akeno in the other hand...

"…Ise-kun…do it more roughly…" Akeno moans his name in her sleep, and she clung on to him, which allowed him to feel her thighs against his crotch.

"…Guu guu…" Xenovia, luckily, pushed herself out of the bed, and hasn't noticed that she was sleeping on the floor.

Irina, Koneko, and Ravel slept in separate rooms from Issei's.

The brunette haired Sekiryuutei could not sleep due to two conditions: one, Akeno's sex appeal is efficiently deadly, for it was impossible to sleep peacefully without resorting to alternative methods of achieving satisfaction (and that itself was difficult, for Issei was to embarrassed to masturbate in front of them, even though they were sleeping), and two, although it was a chilly winter night, their bodies were generating heat, causing Issei to be a bit uncomfortable. When it gets to hot for him, usually, his body will start to itch, adding even more discomfort.

But even so, drowsiness slowly over-accumulated itself, and it was only a matter of time before his eyelids dropped and his conscious state will be shut down, pulling him towards the land of illusions.

" _Perhaps I should lower the heat generator tomorrow morning."_ he thought to himself as he fell asleep.

-Line Break-

Feelings of grotesque emerged within his feverish body, as if the black hand had gripped his intestines, and it's razor sharp claws pierced through the flesh. His soul was aflame by a comfort of an unknown force, watching him with hungry eyes as he slept with the amora of sweat and itchiness. (A/N: To my ES fans, I hope you get the reference *wink*.)

The simulation of wickedness and anxiety was to much for him to stay unconscious; he needed the urge to wake up, and find medication to ease and rid of the unknown culprit that cause him such uncomfortableness.

He attempted, but no avail.

" _...Why...I...can't…wake up?"_ he thought fearfully and tiresomely, as he issued commands to every nerve within his body. When he succeeded in gaining the necessary energy in his blood, he woke up, and stood.

When he arose, his mind was clouded with drowsiness and confusion.

" _...It's seems that I am awake. No...wait. This place is— everything is so damn confusing! Is— Is this a lucid dream?"_ he asked himself in helplessness, unfamiliar with his surroundings. He was aware of the coolness, density and loamy fragrance of the air, and the ground he 'supposedly' slept at was lumpy, as if he were on a bed of earth and rocks. He glance towards the ground, only to find ancient concrete.

" _Where the hell am I…?"_ he asked himself slowly, still feeling the drowsiness, as he stretched his limbs to get the blood flowing.

" _This is not Draig's realm, that is for sure. If it was, then this… 'sanctuary', would not exist. He preferred to be around the blazing inferno."_ Issei remarked, as incepted the concrete in greater detail. After a certain amount of time, he reckoned that he should investigate and explore the environment around him, to get a holding of his surroundings.

He walked around the platform, looking for clues about this strange location he was at.

" _...This feels too real to be a lucid dream. I...I feel— M-My head is sort of…"_

" _ **There's no need for you to get so worked up, kid."**_

A voice called out to him, startling the brunette and putting him into high alert.

 **[Boost!]** the iconic red gauntlet appeared in his arm, and Issei turn towards where the voice came from.

" _ **Hello."**_ the strange man greeted him with a friendly smile, and waved at him. Issei immediately scanned the person, and found that this man was no originary human being.

He had two large horns that stick out of his head, his beard consisted of more horns, and his skin was orange.

Most importantly, the man had an aura that was obviously dragon-like.

" _Where am I?"_ Issei asked the stranger, but still kept his guard up, in case of any emergencies.

" _ **This place should be familiar to you. This is where all the past hosts of the [Boosted Gear] resided at, or used too, since they sacrificed their consciences to help you."**_

" _How...How do you know that?"_

" _ **I watched through the lens of time and space."**_

" _I don't have time for your bullshit. Tell me where I am at, and how to get out."_

" _ **The reason why this place looks different than before, is because of the influence of my powers. Usually, this section of your conscious should be white."**_

" _I don't give a shit—"_

" _ **You should. There is no reason to be alarmed, Sekiryuutei."**_

" _You know who I am?"_

" _ **Yes, I know who you are. Your name is Hyoudou Issei, son of Hyoudou Gorou and grandson of Hyoudou Juzo—"**_ as the stranger began spewing Issei's father and grandfather's name, he was interrupted by a wave of red aura coming from brunette's ower.

 **[Boost! (10x)]**

 **[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]** the announcer roared in glory as Issei immediately transformed into his scale mail armor.

" _That's not normal, knowing my father's and grandfather's name. Who are you, and what is it that you want from me?!"_ he yelled with anxiety and confusion, not understanding what type of situation he was in, and frustrated because of the man's knowledge about his family.

" _More importantly, did you do something to my friends while I was here?!"_

" _ **...Ah, it seems we already went off to a bad start already."**_ the stranger chuckled quietly to himself, much to Issei's displeasure.

" _I can obviously tell you are a Dragon of some sort. Are you working for Rizevim? Is this some type of illusion?"_ he commanded the stranger to answer his questions.

" _ **Obviously not. As a matter of fact, I am here inside your consciousness to offer you some assistance in defeating Rizevim."**_ the stranger revealed.

" _...Assistance? If your here to offer me some assistance, then you could have just met with me, like a person who has some humanity, instead of going into people's minds without consent! Also, how, when, and why did you decided do this?!"_ he yelled.

" _ **I entered your soul, right after you were interrupted by Asia and the others. You sense a weird presence as the argument unfolded, correct?"**_

" _...Yes, I did. So that was you, huh?"_

" _ **Fufufu, it must have been rough dealing the aftermath."**_

" _...So, can you explain this— this awful feeling?"_

" _ **I accidentally gave you an extreme form of STDs while I entered your soul."**_

" _...!"_

 **[Boost!]**

" _ **I'm just kidding. I gave you the Dragon Flu."**_

" _THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE SITUATION!"_

" _ **I can understand why you are angry. Going into people's souls is taboo, but it's not like I am here to cause you any harm, Issei. Trust me, I would have met you a long time ago, if I could have. I have to conceal my presence, or else it will attract some unwanted attention towards me. I apologize for the inconvenience, but right now, I need you to analyze the situation you're in."**_ the stranger said.

" _Yeah, the situation is right of front of me!"_

" _ **Calm down. I can help you cure the Dragon Flu, however the side effects is little distasteful. You'll feel hungover for the rest of the night."**_

" _...So much for a cure huh?"_

" _ **Would you rather have a needle struck up your ass again?"**_

" _...Y-You do raise a point."_

" _ **Then shut up and listen, alright?"**_ the stranger frowned.

He summoned a pipe through a magic circle, and some herbs. He then smashed the herbs, put into the pipe, and then lit it. The stranger deeply inhaled the smoke, then exhaled, releasing smoke shaped O's out of his mouth.

" _ **That calmed me down a bit. You want a hit of this?"**_ he asked.

" _...T-Thanks for the courtesy, but I don't smoke."_

" _ **Suit yourself. Anyways, now that we have taken a chill-pill, let's start talking. In exchange for the cure, you have to at least hear me out."**_ the stranger said.

" _...Alright, seems reasonable."_ the young pervert agreed to his negotiation suspiciously, but dismantled his scale mail to make himself more comfortable.

" _ **Excellent. I already prepared the cure. Of course, I added a special ingredient, in able to make it work. It's not like you can actually eat it, because we're inside your conscious, but it will give you my blessing, and it will be enough to aid you… perhaps in the upcoming battle."**_

" _I don't get what you're saying. So I can't eat this?"_

" _ **You can, but it won't give you any nutrients, because it isn't real."**_

" _So is the cure not real?"_

" _ **...Just eat it."**_ the stranger sighed a bit impatiently. Issei sat down across from the stranger, and took a bowl of the stew. At first, he hesitated, thinking it could have been a trap that allow the stranger to take advantage of him.

" _ **Trust me, Issei. I am not here to hurt you, Please."**_ the stranger begged.

" _Alright, alright. But you better start explaining yourself."_

" _ **I will."**_ the stranger vowed, convincing Issei to eat the stew.

-Line Break-

" _Thanks for the meal, although it did taste like nothing."_

" _ **It's only a blessing."**_

" _Right…"_ Issei sighed as he prepared himself to hear a lecture. He always hated long speeches that dragged on for an unnecessary amount time; he rather prefers explanations that were brief, blunt, and straight to the point.

" _ **Okay, since I kept part of my bargain, you have to keep yours. It is a tradition among Dragons since the ancient times, and breaking this tradition is a taboo."**_ the stranger reminded Issei.

" _Ancient times? So you must be old."_ the brunette remarked.

" _ **I am old as Ophis."**_

" _...You're lying."_

" _ **Why so closed-minded? The Dimensions are limitless, there is bound to be another Dragon God somewhere deep within."**_

" _Y-You're...a Dragon God?"_

" _ **That, I am. My apologies Issei for the late introduction. My name is Akatosh, Dragon God of Time, and Harbinger of the Stars."**_

" _D-Dragon God of Time…"_

" _ **Yes. For many centuries I live peacefully in the [Dimensional Gap], away from the useless rivalry that Ophis and Great Red were currently having."**_

" _...If your a Dragon God, then what you could you possibly need my help with?"_

" _ **As I stated before, If I could had handle things into my own matter, then I would have done it."**_

" _...W-Wait, if your a Dragon God, then how come I never heard about you from Ophis or Great Red?"_

" _ **I tend to keep away from those two as much as possible. Especially Ophis."**_

" _You have grudge against Ophis?"_

" _ **No. ...But I am her younger brother."**_

" _W-Wait, what?! You're Ophis's brother?!"_

" _ **Yep."**_

" _...I can't believe you. The way you speak is…"_

" _ **The way I speak?"**_

" _Nevermind. So, if you're the Dragon God of Time, can you foresee the future?"_

" _ **Unfortunately, that is not how it works. It is more complicated than you think it is. However, I can show you the past."**_

" _What are you going to show me?"_

" _ **The story of a man, who was given a title of a Saint, encountering a dragon. Watch closely."**_ with a swift movement of his hand, Akatosh changed the dreaded scenery into something unexpected.

The concrete floors changed into grasslands, and the blasted ceiling that encaved the darkness dissipated. The blue skies appeared, and the sunshine warmed Issei's face a bit too much.

" _Are you sure this is a lucid dream?"_

-Line Break-

(A/N: You don't really have to read this section. It's more of a bonus rather than plot.)

 **300 AD**

"Help! A Dragon! It's attacking the village!"

"God save us all!"

"Please, my child—"

The cries of peasants can be heard, as the king's army was being slaughtered like Guinea pigs, and their defensive lines were being cut, imitating the edge of the butcher's knife at the pig's neck. The stench of burning corpses can be smelled as far as 5 miles, and the houses are being lit under the ashen, darken skies. The priests tried to use their holy books and crucifixes to repel the beast, only to be terrified by the angry dragon. Some of them prayed, remaining loyal to God, and others sin and ran for their lives, killing and stealing as much as they could.

"Drive back the beast! Shoot the arrow into it's eye!" A mercenary Roman commander by the name of George yelled out the order, and the soldiers who were brave enough did so. But to no avail, as the dragon roared and flew away from it's handiwork of destruction.

After the tragedy, the priests who were caught stealing and rapeing woman, were marked as servants of Lucifer and were beheaded by the executioner's axe. They prayed and begged, but the faithful George and the order of the Catholic Church refuse their cries.

"Think of this as mercy." said George, as the axe cut off one the priest's head. This was mercy in the Catholic Church, as there were other ways to 'purify' the sinner who acted wrong in front of God and his son Jesus.

After ordering the remaining soldiers to repair the church and helped carried the dead bodies to a resting area, George stayed at an inn for the night. Surprisingly the inn survived and was at a decent condition, despite the carnage of the dragon. George thought that God was rewarding him for his good deeds. When he entered the inn after his completing his duties, there were many wenches who are desperately trying to get money. He went up to one of them and said:

"My child. Go to the church and become a holy woman. There is no need for you to do this. Your faith will guide the way if it is strong enough."

"Then you can give me some of your faith through the acts of pleasure of the flesh."

Although George had a tiresome expression, he gave a sermon to the woman and her acquaintances; of course, it was to no avail. He sighed hopelessly at the failed attempt to convince the wenches to stop their sinful acts, and went to his room.

He laid upon the bed that innkeeper gave to him for a day. It was not the most comfortable bed, since the hay can make his back itchy and the pillow feels like bricks, but it didn't matter though, as he was thankful for a roof above his head and food he can eat.

He did his prayer, like any normal follower of the Christian faith.

"Saint Maria, Jesus and the Holy Spirit...please give me your blessings as I and my men hunt down this cursed beast that Satan has laid upon this village. Also, please give the souls who were lost today one last judgment."

George finished his prayer and attempted to sleep.

The candles that were lit suddenly die out as the cold wind blows upon the destruction of the village. George ignored it, as he thought that God was protecting him from any danger.

That cold wind signalizes the dragon's return. Suddenly, multiple knocks on George's door were heard, and his sergeant yelled out his name.

"Commander! The beast is coming back!"

"What!? I don't even have my armor on...oh god...this must be a test from the angels! Prepare yourselves my men! Today we will kill the beast in the name of the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church! Amen!"

[Amen!] The soldiers regain their spirits and prepare their bows and spears. They evacuated the remaining villagers and priests out of the town, and George order his men to fortify their position.

George was a smart commander, even among the Roman Empire. He knew that he needed every resource that he can get to do his job not only as military personnel, but also as a follower of Jesus.

The men did a lot in a short amount of time; it was decision for the kingdom to had hire George and his unit as a temporary army. The king was afraid of the dragon, which made George question his view on Christianity.

The men heard the dragon's roar and prepare themselves, hiding in cover and preparing their deadliest shot.

"Aim at the eye! Use poison to neutralize the heathen! Make sure it feels warm embrace of God!" The faithful George shout out his command and his men happily followed it. They believe that this will wash away their sins for their past battles.

As the dragon approached...it said something.

"Joor! Hi fen dir!" The dragon opened its mouth, and the flames turned cold as ice.

"What is this sorcery!? It can also breath Ice!?"

"Dovah fen alun rel lok ahrk okaaz! Mu los eylok tol rah okmaar los faas do!" It spoke in it's unknown language, making the men puzzled. How come this beast of the devil can develop communication, something only human civilization can do?

"It spoken the words of Lucifer! Kill it!" George fiercely raised his hand as the men shot the arrows and threw their spears. It hit one of his eyes and it roared in pain.

"Ha! We did it-" Just when the men boast of their false victory, the dragon blew them away with it's fire breath.

"Ahhhh—- It bur—"

"Help me Saint—"

"I have a family—-"

The soldiers were obliterated within seconds.

The stench of burning corpses and the screaming of the men on fire terrified George to his bones and spirit, but he was taught that faith is stronger than fear, so it can be used as a weapon against the demon spawns. He stand his position and draw out his sword.

"I will slay the beast myself! I will avenge my fallen comrades!" He ran up to the dragon, only to realize that the difference between sizes was humongous.

When he took some steps back, the dragon laughed.

It was insulting to see something like this. George let his anger get the best of him, and charge the dragon like a idiot. The dragon stomped his feet and sent him flying away from the village.

The remainder of his men tremble in fear.

They die like cowards as the dragon eat them, and burn the already collapsing village to the ground.

Nothing was left….only the smell of misery and flames filled the dead night sky.

-Line Break-

Issei looked unimpressed with the imagery in front of him.

" _Although I do process [Ascalon], what does Saint George have to do with me?"_ the brunette asked.

" _ **But what was his true source of strength? How was he able to kill a dragon with just a holy blade, and a body of mortal?**_

" _ **I blessed him with my powers, which was enough to kill the dragon, and earn the title of saint.**_

" _ **And I wish to make the same offering to you, Issei."**_

 **[That's quite a proclamation]**

" _ **And hello to you, Y Ddraig Goch. Did I awoken you from your slumber?"**_

 **[...What is your purpose?]** Ddraig directed his question towards the Orange Dragon, and he seemed very alarmed by the fact that a random dragon, that he has never seen before, has appeared in Issei's consciousness. Also, the commotion interrupted his sleep, which made him very annoyed.

" _ **Yes, it is time for me to reveal my purpose. Issei, I have an offering for you to consider."**_

" _ **In exchange of Ophis's power, I will give you mine."**_

" _ **My power is known as [Dragonbreak], and it is not different from Ophis's [Dragon Deification], which is now dormant as we speak. Although you could master [Destructive Energy Manipulation] under [Dragon Deification], [Dragonbreak] gives you the power to surpass the level of a [Dragon God]; of**_

 _ **course, with the price of your stamina, and life force."**_

" _ **Also, [Dragonbreak] gives you another ability…"**_

" _ **The ability to absorb any Dragon soul, and add more fuel to [Dragonbreak]."**_

" _ **That is why I consider myself the strongest among the [Dragon Gods]. I can kill Ophis, Great Red, and that other [Dragon God] which I won't mention it's name."**_

" _...[Dragonbreak] seems dandy and all, but why would I give up the power that Ophis bestowed upon me?"_ Issei complained.

" _ **Of course, the amount of power Ophis gave you is not enough to defeat Six-Hundred and Sixty-six'. I will give you everything that I have to offer in able to defeat the beast, in case Rizevim does somehow awakens it. Think of it as Insurance."**_

" _...and if I refuse?"_

" _ **I won't force you. But, in due time, you will change your mind."**_

" _ **For now, let time continue to run its course. We'll be meeting again soon."**_

-Line Break-

His lungs were aflamed.

After gaining control of his breathing, he looked down at his bed sheets, and noticed that they were wet from his sweat. It seemed that he was like this for a couple of hours. There was a disgusting, terrible taste of blood and mucus in his mouth, as he had no choice to swallow his spit at the moment. He then licked his lips to soften them, and swallowed more spit due to his sudden dehydration.

He attempted to get up, but was met with resistance; a certain redhead was grabbing onto his arm, not willing to let go. She was deep in sleep, and Issei had no way to move without waking her up.

"…Unyuu." Rias used his arm as a hug pillow, pulling him closer to her. If Issei was not feeling the way he was, he would enjoy the sensation of her body and breast, hugging her back and cuddling more with his girlfriend.

But his thirst for water was so great, he forcefully pushed her down to the hard, cold floor and ran for his life. Rias landed her head on a pillow that was lucky there, so she was unharmed.

But upon impact, Rias instantly woke up and noticed two things:

One, Issei was running.

And two, Issei forcibly pushed her down.

"W-What just happened…?" she asked herself in confusion.

Issei finally made it to the kitchen, and chugged an entire gallon of water.

The taste of the water made his tongue soft again, and the cold liquid runs down his throat, curing him from his dehydration. Before he knew it, there wasn't a single drop of water left in the jug.

The satisfaction quickly turn into regret, since he quickly drank a gallon of water, it gave him hyponatremia. His stomach felt like it was getting tighter, as if somebody was tying a knot in between his stomach. The urge to vomit is rising.

He sprinted again.

He found the nearest unoccupied toilet, closed the door with enough force that the entire hallway echoed, got on his knees, bent over, and started to cough and vomit inside the toilet.

His agonizing sounds can be heard through the silent hallways of the Hyoudou Residence.

 **[Oi, partner… you alrig—]**

" _Shut the fuck—"_ another wave of vomit interrupted him.

Issei never felt this agonized in his entire life.

The puke swaddles down the toilet, green, gray, and flecks of orange. It moves and drifts like the insides of an uncooked egg, as it stubbornly clinging to its own mass, refusing to break up.

After awhile, Rias found him, and she was terrified at the state he was on.

-Line Break-

A few hours had passed.

Issei was on his bed with an icepack on his forehead, and other medical essentials on the side table.

" _I never want to go through that again. That shitty dragon was trying to kill me!"_ he cursed at the supposedly 'Dragon God of Time' for the cause of such pain.

He would rather suffer the symptoms of the Dragon Flu, but what had been done cannot be irreversible.

" _What is done, is done. Although I felt like hell, it only lasted for a few hours."_ he told himself, looking at the positive side of the barrigin.

"Thank goodness…. I was so worried about you Ise!"

Rias rushed towards Issei, and hugged him very tightly. Rias's bust was grinding on Issei's chest, as she burst into tears.

"Arara…. don't cry, ne? I'm okay now, see?"

"*Sniff*…"

"Did Ravel arrived in time?"

"Ravel has gone over to Riser for his rating match against Diehauser Belial-sama."

"I-I see…"

"Ise…" Rias leans in for a kiss, but Issei turned away.

"I wouldn't want you tasting my vomit, now would I?"

"...Then I'll settle for a hug."

"You sure are spoiled aren't you? What if you catch my sickness, huh?"

"At least it's from you than anyone else…" As Rias proceeded to hug the brunette in front of her, Issei felt a weird throb in his heart.

"A-Are you okay, Ise? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing…"

All of the sudden, Rias gets a call from Azazel.

"Azazel-sensei? Why call at this hour?"

[There is a DxD meeting today. Make sure Issei is fully recovered and able to attend the meeting]

"Okay. I'll let him know."

"Who was that?"

"That was Azazel-sense, just reminding me that today is a DxD meeting, and make sure you were fine. Go take a shower, and get dressed if you feel better. But take some medicine before you do."

"Okay, I will."

-Line Break-

The [DxD] team was currently gathered in the VIP room, which was in the upper level of the Hyoudou residence. All the members for the exception of Ravel are present. They firmly focused on the video which was projected onto the screen in front of them. All programs were news about the latest match in the rating games. Text at the bottom said such things like:

[Sudden accident in the Rating Game!?]

[Champion Belial has disappeared during the middle of the match!]

[Phoenix family's third son, eldest daughter and Champion have disappeared together!]

The team confirmed the disappearance of them by replaying the video of the match and continuing watching the news.

Issei, who hasn't spoken a word, has his fist shaking in anger. Just a few hours ago, Ravel was safe and sound; He did not expect this turn of events, and if it wasn't for the meeting, he would immediately go after her. Rias, who is next to him, held his fist, but he still continued to shake.

"So, the whereabouts of Raiser, Ravel and the Champion Diehauser Belial-sama are all unknown right?" Rias asked Azazel.

"Firstly, what can be confirmed is that before the three people disappeared, the game system's emergency program was triggered."

"Originally, in order to respond to any kinds of situations, there was a corresponding set of procedures for professional Rating Games. For example, if the location of the match was destroyed more than was expected, then they would initiate a procedure to repair it." Sona stated.

"So what happened?"

"That aspect is currently being investigated, but one thing which is certain;there is a high possibility that there was improper conduct during the game."

"That's prohibited! Could it be the Champion!?"

"...The managers believes that it's the opposite."

Issei grips Rias's hand tightly to ease down the shaking.

"Ise, I understand. You and I are the same. …For Raiser to have improper conduct, that's impossible. It wasn't easy for him to get over things and stand up again. And he also has Ravel by his side, those siblings would definitely not allow improper conduct."

"Well, then it really is the Champion Belial…right?" Kiba said as he used his hand to support his chin.

"…Azazel-sensei, don't you have any ideas about this?"

Everyone's gaze was directed towards Azazel.

"Is that true?"

Hearing Issei's question, Azazel raised his hands and sighed.

"…I can't say it. But, if it's really as I think, the Phoenix siblings whose whereabouts are unknown shouldn't be as bad as it's being imagined. I'm really sorry that I can't say any more right now, but if you believe in what I've said, then believe that those two are safe."

" _Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why did this have to happen!? And what pisses me off the most, is that I cannot do anything, meanwhile Ravel could be going through some trouble! This is bullshit!"_ Issei thoughts were exploding with hatred.

"…Ise, it's painful right now, but we need to believe in Onii-sama and Azazel-sensei."

"Raiser, Ravel…please, you must be safe." Issei whispered to himself.

End of Chapter 1

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, that's the first chapter done. Instead of creating a update chapter, I decided to re-post the first chapter, just to let you guys know how I am doing.**_

 _ **I hope you guys find the changes to your liking.**_

 _ **The majority of the project will be released during summer, possibly July or August. The first chapter was specifically released early as a test, to hear your opinions and criticisms.**_

 _ **At the time of writing this Author's Note, I am going through some tough times in School, because of SATs, State Test, Finals and the School year almost ending. Many curveballs are thrown at me, and because of it, the momentum of Project SLASHDRAGØN has drastically decreased. Literally, it took me a month to edit the first chapter. The release date for the project will unfortunately postpone to July or August.**_

 _ **Sorry for the inconvenience.**_

 _ **Update 5/24/18: If you guys liked the story thus far, I recommend only reading up to chapter 2 for now, as I am still working very hard in completing Project SLASHDRAGØN. At this moment, I am about 60% done on rewriting chapter 3. I also decided to make a tactical decision and only re-write Arc I. If there's any questions, please PM me.**_


	2. Angelic Seduction, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Telepathy

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

 _ **A/N: Welcome to the second chapter of Dragonbreak Chronicles! I hope you guys are enjoying update SLASHDRAGØN!**_

 _ **So in this chapter, I will mainly focus on re-evaluating the beginning of the development between Irina and Issei. When I reread this chapter in particular, I saw many things wrong with it; although Irina and Issei did kiss in volume 18, and their relationship had increased dramatically since then, I felt that I miss a grand opportunity to bring more immersive feelings between them.**_

 _ **So, like the previous chapter and the upcoming chapters, I will add more dialogue and scenarios to make things a bit more interesting.**_

 _ **Oh, and I will start writing quotes from this chapter onwards. The original idea came from Houvdon, author of 'A Cracked Resolve' and other fantastic stories.**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy, and don't forget to review and follow!**_

* * *

" _...Remembered what I said when you were having that secret rendezvous with Xenovia?" — Shidou Irina_

* * *

Angelic Seduction, Arc I

Even if Angels were described as powerful supernatural entities that have a pure heart and good will, they were far from perfection. Angels, just like any humanoid creature that isn't undead (with the expectation of vampires), have complex emotions and complicated psychology; but one thing is for certain: Maslow's theory, the Hierarchy of Needs, also applies to them.

Every Angel has already reached the eighth stage of the Hierarchy of Needs, which is known as _Transcendence needs_. The _Transcendence_ stage is when a person is motivated by values which transcend beyond the personal self, in this case, Angels will have the instinct to follow their religion and help others.

Irina, however, was having a… unique situation.

Because she used to be human, as a Reincarnated Angel, she had major problems in trying to maintain her 'purity' and not fall.

It's not the fact that she wasn't loved or anything; her parents were supportive and lovable, her friends and comrades were cooropative and fun to hang out with, and she was always fed in the cafeterias of Heaven with luxurious foods that she happily eat. Irina also had a big heart to help out children, orphans, senior citizens, or the unlucky.

The problem laid within her romantic love for Hyoudou Issei.

Ever since their childhood days, Irina always wanted Issei by her side, as her lover and as her other half.

But she couldn't when she became a Reincarnated Angel… until recently.

A few weeks before Christmas Day, Irina asked Michael a particular question.

" _Is there a method to not fall while crossing the line with a Devil?"_

As a result, Micheal gifted her the [Dimensional Room], a room where an Angel and Devil can have sexual intercourse and intimacy without the fear of the Angel falling.

After that fateful christmas night, Irina realized that Issei was always, and will be the one to receive all the forbidden emotions that she had saved up.

…

The 'self-proclaiming' Angel saw his expression when he heard that his manager, Ravel, disappeared during the rating game against Diehauser, the [Champion]. The amount of killing intent and aura literally scared Irina, and the next day, she completely avoided him out of fear.

The day after, she realized that Issei was completely unsociable, and mostly kept to himself.

He barely spoke, and frequently skipped breakfast.

-Line Break-

It has been a few days after the members of [DxD] received the news about Riser and Ravel Phenex; nothing much has happened since then, and nothing was heard from the officials about their whereabouts.

Things were gloomy and tense in the Hyoudou Household, and Issei and his peerage members were less worried about the career counseling meeting that was happening tomorrow.

Issei himself was in a bad mood, ever since he heard the news. He sat by himself in his room, twiddling his thumbs in anxiety. It left a big impact deep within his heart, to suddenly have his cute and adorable manager taken away from him in a snap of finger.

" _I swear I'll get you back, Ravel-chan…! Just hold on a bit longer…!"_ his vows were empty, and only made him more furious; the reason why was because he had no idea where to begin to conduct his search for her. Going to the stadium and find clues?

Not a valid option.

-Line Break-

"Ise! Come downstairs and get some breakfast!" the calling of his mother echoed throughout the mansion, but Issei did not respond.

She alarmly looked towards Asia for confirmation.

"Asia-chan, what's wrong with Ise?" she asked.

"...Ise-san is… he's not feeling himself lately."

"Why is that?"

"...Um…" being pressured, Asia tried to look navïe, and trick Issei's mother into thinking that she doesn't know anything.

"That is strange… he'll usually would tell you everything. Perhaps it's something he cannot discuss about? Asia, would you mind continuing to stir the pot? I am going to check on him."

"Y-Yes!" she answered and took the wooden spoon from her hands. As she watch her go upstairs towards his room, the sense of guilt arose from her heart

" _...I'm sorry Okaa-sama, but there are some things you cannot know."_

-Line Break-

His mother alarmly noticed that her son was going through some sort of depression; for the past few days, she left him alone and asked no questions, merely thinking that he was simply just exhausted, or going through one of his fanatic 'stages' where he lost his favorite porn magazines. When Asia did not know the source of his depression, Issei's mother decided to enter his room, and check on him.

"Ise? Why won't you come downstairs and eat breakfast?" she asked sincerely in her motherly tone.

"...I am not really hungry right now. You can wrap it up, and I'll eat it later." he barely projected his voice, and only managed to let out a few mumbling words in response to his mother. She barely heard him through the muffled sounds of him talking through a pillow.

"Ise, this is the fourth time you had skipped breakfast. There is something definitely wrong, and keeping it in yourself will only bring more stress."

"You won't understand, Kaa-san."

"I have to understand. I am your mother, and you are my child."

"..."

The power of motherly intuition within her is a force to not underestimate. Issei could argue, but it would only make things more annoying and difficult to deal with. (A/N: Keep in mind that Issei's parents still has no clue about the supernatural.)

"Okaa-san will listen."

"D-don't worry about it, I'm fine."

"It is not fine, Ise. If it's something you are having trouble with, and if it's uncomfortable talking about with me or Gorou, then you can talk to those beautiful women downstairs who are worried about you." she remarked.

"Did Asia-chan or Rias try to comfort you?"

"..."

"Ise?"

"...I'll come downstairs in a few minutes, just save my plate for later, okay?" he said, trying to avoid the conversation altogether.

"Fine, but you absolutely have to eat; no skipping breakfast."

"Yes, Kaa-san."

"By the way, you haven't told me that tomorrow is the three-way interview."

"Oh, that…"

"Really, you could be more enthusiastic! Besides, you never told me or Gorou about your profession."

"My bad."

"So? What are you planning to do when you grow up? What career are you pursuing?"

"...I am thinking about joining the 'Adult Entertainment' industry."

"...Cough….C-Can't you give me a more serious answer?!"

"Hahaha… sorry. Can't help myself on letting that joke pass."

"... You better give me a serious answer by tomorrow, Ise."

"I will, I will. I'll be downstairs in a few minutes."

"Good."

After she left, the brunette felt the comfortness and tenderness of his mother's love. Although she was mostly nagging and being a bit of an annoyance to him, he knew that she was only worried about him since he had such a negative atmosphere looming around like a thundercloud on top of his head.

In the first time in a few days, he smiled.

-Line Break-

Depression is somewhat of a foreign word for the [Oppai Dragon].

The last time he felt this way was during the school festival, when Raynare still haunted him.

Other than that, he could not remember any other time he felt this type of way.

"— _ **But, in due time, you will change your mind."**_ the words echoed in his membrane, lingering around his head.

" _Everything seems so hazy when I try to think about it. This… this 'Akatosh' fellow… no… "_ he denied the sudden temptation to seek the mysterious Dragon God for answers; the disappearance of Ravel had made Issei somewhat desperate to find her himself; but he was desperate enough to mingle with elements that could be beyond the realms of reality?

He did not answer his own question, unsurprisingly.

[Knock, Knock]

There was a sudden knock on the door, snapping him back to reality. He thought it was his mother, nagging him to come down stairs once again.

"Ise-kun? Can I come in?" the voice, however, was young, filled with tenderness and friendliness.

It was his childhood sweetheart, Irina Shidou.

"..." he remained silent, and turned away from the door.

After a few seconds passed without any response from Issei, Irina let herself in.

"Ise-kun?" she called out to him one last time, and then intruded into his room, excusing herself and quietly sat down beside him. Issei did not flinch when he felt her presence, however he slightly blushed.

"Hey, wake up, sleepy head!" she poked, and her index finger hit one of Issei's funny bones, forcing him to flinch.

"If you don't wake, I'll play a trick on you~" she warned in cutesy tone, continuing to poke him further. Issei could no longer withstand the feeling of her finger pressing deep into his skin, so he turned his body face up, and covered it with his blanket.

"Try it." he raised his voice enough to startle Irina, but somehow able to project it in a low tone; it was a bit arrogant with a hint of annoyance. Irina was taken aback by Issei's somewhat rude attitude, and she wanted to retaliate.

But… she did not say anything.

At that moment, she remembered her father's words.

" _Remember, the only way to get his attention is to be daring, and take the lead!"_

Irina could not tell what she saw or what she felt. Then she became aware that she was uncomfortable.

Her violet eyes were glued towards his lips. Her heart was beating tremendously, and a deep, red blush appeared across her cheeks. Shyly, she inspected Issei a bit more, sneakily running her hands towards the top of his head, and started to slowly brush his smooth maple hair.

Issei did not mind it, and her hands gave him a sense of… relaxation. He did felt a bit sorry for Irina, for she did not deserve to be disrespected, because of his selfishness.

"...Sorry." he eventually apologized.

"...Ne, Issei… don't open your eyes just yet…" she plead. It was the first time since their childhood days that Irina called him without any formalities.

"...This is for being a meanie." she quickly said that, and planted her lips over his. (SXF: Chuuu)

His mouth trembled at the firm sweetness of the flesh. At first, he rapidly opened his eyes and saw the face of the beautiful angel, with her eyes closed and her lips overlapping his. Then, as expected for a perverted teenager boy like him, he returned the kiss back. She tightly shut her eyes even further and deepen the kiss with her tongue, as she let his fingers dig into her waist.

A sudden flashback came into her mind.

— _Yeah, but even so. Even if you are an Angel, I don't care. It doesn't change the fact that you are my childhood friend and there's no way the fact of you being my classmate at Kuou academy will change either._

— _There's no such thing as a forbidden thing between me and you. No, even if it was forbidden, I'm still your childhood friend. If you are in danger I will definitely save you._

Their shoulders touched, and Irina linked her hand with his.

It had already reached the stage where Irina was on top of him.

Her face blushed when their eyes met, but she did not turn away from him.

"Mmmmmn…" she embarrassingly let out a moan as she continued to ravage his mouth. The tenderness welled up in him, and the thought of doing 'forbidden things' with her excited him, and a bolt of desire ran down his genitals, giving it length.

Their was lust in his eyes, but also a borderline of carefulness, politeness, and unknowingly, love; he wanted to fuck her— as tenderly and softly as possible.

But… he knew what would happen if he let loose; he does not want to be the center of such hatred and disappointment from Irina's parents, for turning her daughter into a Fallen Angel.

He found the will to stop such foreplay within his soul, somehow. It was one of the most difficult task for any man to stop, once their sexual drive had been activated; but Issei knew that being selfish and fulfilling his desires would only lead to more chaos.

He gently pushed her away, and turned his backside towards her.

"Thanks, for… looking after me; but we can't do this… not in this situation." he spoke in a lonely tone.

"...I won't leave you disheartened or dissatisfied, Issei. Remember what I said when you were having that secret rendezvous with Xenovia?"

"When we were at the pool?"

"Yeah… I said that childhood friends are more important than girlfriends. I'll do for you whatever Rias does, and I'll go even further than that. So please, don't treat me like an outcast, and let me heal you whenever you're in pain."

"...I-I understand."

"I'm glad to hear it… ne, why did you push me aside?"

"Because… because we were heading towards that 'direction'."

"So you're not interested…"

"No! ...Um, I am interested, it's just that—"

"Is it uncomfortable to do it with somebody who isn't your girlfriend?"

"...Don't you have something better to do, than just sit here with me?"

"Nope~! This is the best opportunity for me to spend some time with Ise-kun! Do you not remember, before the battle with Ewald-sensei and Vasco-sensei? You had a secret rendezvous with Xenovia, and you need to make it up for me." Irina then proceed to get a hold of his arm, and put it in between her breasts.

"H-Hey, Irina...you shouldn't do things like that." Issei warned.

"...Mou, how could you be so mean!" the angel before him pouted, whereas she looked like she had been struck down, her expression could immediately be seen. Issei immediately felt sorry.

"Are you really against it, Issei?"

"It's not that… I-I was just looking out for you, since...y-you know...I don't want you to fall, because of me."

"Tee-hee~! So Darling was worried about me, all the long?" her mood changed when Issei said he was worried about her. She didn't let go of his arm, nor move its location.

Then, Irina's eyes beamed at Issei's.

"You know… I'm worried about you. Rias is worried, and everyone else. You haven't been yourself for the past few days, and I— we hate to see you like this." Irina shared her concerns. Her amethyst like eyes were wet, and Issei felt that those eyes can actually see through, not only his mind, but his heart and soul.

"...It's just that I am angry at myself."

"...I'm sure Ravel-chan and Riser-san are okay."

"...You think so?"

"Of course they are fine! As long I have faith, and believe, then things turn out to be better than expected. Ise-kun, I am worried, just as you are, but there are times that we can not let the enemy mingle with our feelings. There is no reason for you to act in such a way that everyone has to have another reason to worry. So please, please come back to being yourself."

Irina's plea finally made Issei realize that acting hopeless and desperate can not change things around.

"...Thank you, Irina. ...I can see why your counseling is very effective during your angel duties."

"It's the least I can do, for my childhood friend."

"...I guess I should tell Rias and everyone else that I am fine-" just as Issei stood up, Irina tighten her grip on his arm. Her eyes had a hurt expression as if asking 'why?'.

"...Our date isn't finished yet."

"W-What are you're saying?"

"Ise-kun, you know...we could skip school today and go on a real date, just the two of us...or we could just hide in that room and...b-boost our morale…" Irina said such stimulating words, that her wings were forcibly expanded, and began to flicker as she said that. She then hug his front side, and her breasts were pressed against his chest. The sensation of an Angel's delicate skin was pressed against him, as the sensual feeling put him in a trance.

"I-Irina…"

"It is okay for us to be together, as long we love each other… right?"

-Line Break-

The next day after school was the arranged day for the three-way career consultation. Students took turns according to their student number, and they simply waited at the school before that. The people who had club activities would continue with their club activities until it was time to begin.

Issei however, was somewhere else. Everyone in the OCR clubroom were a bit worried and assigned Irina to look for him. Asia was too busy to go and Xenovia is learning her new position for the coming year, so she has to help the Student Council. The only one who was free is Irina, and she gladly volunteer to find Issei.

Humming a tone, she walked through the hallways with a smile on her face.

" _This is the perfect opportunity to spend some more time with Darling! Oh God, thank you for giving me such an advantage for being Ise-kun's childhood friend!"_ she thought with glee. But when she found him, he was with a certain someone that Irina was surprised to see again.

"Papa!? How did you get here!?" Irina exclaimed.

"Isn't this to be expected? This is my cute daughter's future career consultation isn't it? As a father, of course I have to skip work and rush over."

"Really papa, Michael-sama will get angry you know!?" Irina puffed out her cheeks as she got angry. Issei, being amused with Irina's sudden outburst, smiled at her.

"You look cute even when you're mad." Issei jokily said.

"I-Ise-kun!? Where were you!? Everyone was looking for you!" she pouted.

"Sorry, Okaa-san and Otou-san can't come today, due to a sudden emergency at their workplace. They reschedule my meeting with my homeroom teacher for a later date."

"Then why are you here with Papa!?"

"I just wanted to talk to him about something…" Issei narrowed his eyes away from Irina, as he blushed slightly.

"About what?" she asked.

"Don't worry Irina-chan, Issei-kun here promised me lots of grandchildren!" Touji stated while patting Issei's back.

Hearing him say that, Irina face suddenly turned red!

"Mmm! R-Really. Papa, please don't talk about that topic in front of your daughter and her childhood friend!" Irina became even angrier, but Touji continues to tease her.

"Irina-chan is also cute when she gets angry."

"I agree." Issei, wanting to tease Irina some more, smiled again, which made Irina's ears blow stream.

"A-A-Anyways, Ise-kun, let's go back to the clubroom! Everybody is waiting, you know?"

"Yeah...I know." He shrug his shoulders and walked with Irina back to the clubroom.

"See ya later, Touji-jin." he waved a farewell to Touji, and walked with Irina back to the OCR club room. Touji, happy with the result of his earlier discussion with Issei, waved back.

-Line Break-

"Say, Ise-kun...What were you talking about with Papa?" Irina asked.

"He just said some perverted jokes, and what not. Nothing in particular."

"What do you mean?"

"We just joked around; we felt like lighting up the mood a bit, since… Anyways, have you received any news about Ravel yet?"

"N-No, not yet. Rias and Akeno are working on it as we speak."

"...I see."

"B-But who would've known that you have become so daring, Ise-kun. Flirting in front of my dad, and also talking about those type of things…"

"Hey, that's what childhood friends are for, right?"

...

"...Are childhood friends more important than girlfriends?" Irina suddenly asked.

The question was sudden, but yet packed quite a punch.

It left Issei dumbfounded, and for a second, he felt numb all over, and he stopped walking entirely.

He slowly blinks at Irina, who kept a serious face.

" _S-She wants me to answer that question?!"_

"Ise-kun? Tell me honestly…. if you had, absolutely had to choose, would you save Rias or me?"

"...Irina, I...cannot answer that. You know my answer is to save both of you—"

"Why not?"

"...Why not, what?"

"Why can't you choose?"

"Because both of you are my two inseparable comrades—"

"But you love Rias."

"..." he tried to speak. He really did, but no words come out of his mouth.

"Irina...I uh…"

"Forget I said anything." her voice was strong and stern, but yet he could tell that she was at verge of crying. of The more further she was, the more Issei becomes confused.

" _What the fuck just happened…?_ "

-Line Break-

(Unknown location, near Kuoh Town)

"Is it really necessary to kidnap the Sekiryuutei's parents, Rizevim-sama?"

"I know that perverted brat will try to interrupt my plans. This is a trump crap in case things don't go as planned. By the way Champion-kun, why would you let go those two Phoenixes?"

"Even if I am working with you, I still have my honor. Those two have nothing to do with you plans, right?"

"Oh well, I could've used them as hostages as well, especially the imouto Phoenix."

"You are truly evil, you know that?"

"Well, you are also the evil one for accepting my offer and letting many men, women, and children die after I unleash the beast."

"I have half a mind to end you right here in this spot, but because of your offer….I'll do as you say."

"Good. I wonder what kind of face will the Oppai Dragon have once he realized that his parents have been kidnapped? Ufufufufu…."

-Line Break-

After returning from school, Issei sat on a rather luxurious couch on the penthouse of the Hyoudou Residence, and tried to steady his mind. After the conversation with Irina, it left him somewhat conflicted.

It was exactly like that time with Rias.

— _Ise-san! You are horrible! It's too much! Why can't you…..! Why can't you understand Onee-sama's feelings!?_

— _Geez, you are so….. I can understand very well what the girls are going through._

— _Exactly. It's natural for Rias and Asia-chan to get mad._

— _The current Ise-kun will just hurt her more even if you go after her, so don't._

Those words fucked him up back then.

He does not want the same thing happening again. The density of his mind allowed him to overlook the feelings of his childhood friend…

But unlike last time, he knew what to do and what to say.

" _I have to apologize and tell her my true feelings. I don't want our new relationship to be suddenly destroyed, because of my inability to answer a freaking question that I had the answer to."_ Issei strengthened his resolve, and was about to find Irina. But then, Rias and Asia appeared with a thick book.

"Ise-san, there you are!"

"What's up?" he responded.

"Why were you holding up here, by yourself? You know this room is only used for [DxD] meetings, right?" Rias asked.

"...Ah, well, I was just thinking about the past."

"Oh, what perfect timing! Haha-ue-sama gave me the family album before she left for work. Would you like to tell us some of your stories of your childhood?"

"Please Ise-san?" Asia begged.

"...I guess." he agreed, and both of them revealed happy expressions.

"But before we ask you more about your childhood, I have some news from Azazel-sensei regarding Ravel and Riser."

"You do!? Can you please tell me?"

"They are both safe. They also have no serious issues."

"I-I see…thank goodness…"

"Oh Ise, you must've been so worried about Ravel. Don't worry, she'll come tomorrow and then we will resume with our normal lives. Right Asia?"

"Right!"

"Now, to the other matter in hand, let's open the album shall we?" Rias held the photobook with excitement

As the three of them flip through the pages, flashbacks begin to cloud his mind. He remembered his first porno magazine, his first porn video, his first crush in middle school...pretty much everything up till now.

The only thing that was missing...was his first kiss. Irina claimed to kissed him way back then.

"Haha-ue-sama really recorded every little step of Ise growing up into these pictures…" Rias said, surprised and impressed.

"Okaa-san and Otou-san really values me a lot...I am their only child after all."

"Ah, Ise? What's this photo?" both Rias and Asia's gaze focused onto the photo. It was Ise in primary school, and he was holding a fishing rod that was much bigger than himself, as he stood there proudly.

"When I was young, I used to like fishing with otou-san. Until I broke his favorite fishing rod by accident. It's, sort of a bad memory…"

"Why would you say it's a bad memory?"

"Because… Well, I have this tendency of not letting things go, even after the apology. When I make the other person sad, then I would also feel sad."

"…Ise-san being like that, how should I say it? I can, more or less, understand." Asia honestly replied.

Rias nods quietly in agreement.

"Yeah...Every time a tragedy occurred, even if it wasn't my fault, I would still take responsibility for it. At such times, if I able to do it myself, then I'll do it; everyone else would feel sad to see it, but I would still insist on reflecting."

"But why? Why go so far?" Rias asked.

"Because that's how I do things. On the outside, I might be this breast loving freak, but in the inside, I—" he stopped midway of his sentence, and was not able to finish his thought.

"—Asia….I still hadn't let go of what happened to you. If I was stronger, you wouldn't have died. That's why I'll try my damndest to not make you sad. The same goes for everyone…"

"Ise-san...you're crying…"

"Ah...sniff...shit, I didn't really mean to get all sentimental."

"Ise...I appreciate sharing your true thoughts."

"...Do you guys know where Irina is?"

"She's in the the second floor, probably studying."

"...Alright, thanks."

Issei got up from the sofa and went towards where Irina was at.

Asia and Rias looked at each, confused, but also suspicious.

-Line Break-

[Knock, Knock]

"Hey Irina...are you in there?"

After a few seconds of silence, the door opens, revealing the angel in her pajamas.

Issei couldn't hide his surprise as he see Irina revealing herself; his brown, baggy eyes wide up and his jaw drop at the sight of his beautiful, attractive childhood friend; her pajamas are blue and her hair is let down, which is a rare sight. Her chestnut hair is wet, signify that she had recently took a bath. Her sparkling, lovely eyes gazes at him with such tenderness, it made him skip a beat.

"Issei." she said his name, once again, without any formalities. Her honey like voice snapped him back into reality as she walks forward and hugged him tightly, without taking her gaze off him. Issei's chest can feel the soft, smooth, and tender breast under his childhood friend's shirt and he swallowed his spit due to how daring Irina was. He wrapped his arms around her, and at that moment he felt one of the greatest satisfactions he had ever felt. It made him realize that how precious Irina truly was to him.

"...You knew that I was coming?" he asked.

"...I just followed my intuition. That's all."

"I-I see. Well, since I'm here, I might as well get this out of my chest."

….

"I… I love you."

"—!"

Her amethyst like eyes were sparkling, which Issei could stare at them forever. He moved his arms and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her further into his embrace. She felt his warmth, his manliness, and his sincereness.

"...Say it, one more time."

"I love you. Just as much as Rias and everyone else."

"But I am not just 'everyone else'... I'm your childhood friend. I know you better than everyone else…" Irina eyes became more wet, but it had determination. She revealed a doorknob in her hand.

Issei instantly knew where things were heading towards to.

...But for some strange reason…

...He did not care.

Irina replaced the doorknob with the one that had access to the [Ero Room].

-Line Break-

They entered the [Ero Room] holding each other's hand. Once they entered, Irina locked the door behind her.

"Issei-kun…" she called out his name in a seductive voice, while fidgeting her body, using her charm to draw him closer and closer to her. He finally reach her face and lay his hand upon the blushing cheek.

"Irina…" He responded in a very low-tone voice.

"You're so warm." cooed Irina. Her hot, warm breath reaches his ears and the chills ran on his back. She continued to breathe softly on his ear, as he used his hands to crawl under her shirt to grab her breast. Irina flinched since his hands were a bit cold; But just a few seconds later, the hand warmed up, then her breast were being squeezed softly and her ripe nipple pinched, giving her a sensation that she only experienced when, embarrassingly, masturbating.

She gently press her hot, soft, pink lips against his. She moaned quietly while the two pairs of lips smack against each other. She broke the kiss and gasp for air; a thread of saliva appeared between them. Issei continued to be quiet and a heavy blush appeared on Irina's face. She wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to express her love that she had to endure every night; she wanted to show her undying love for her childhood friend. Actually, since christmas, she wanted to have sex with him; a time where she could endlessly love and pleasure Issei, and that moment is within her grasp.

Issei's desire made him push Irina down towards bed, which was a surprise for her. Getting impatient, he quickly, but gently, took off all of her clothes; even her panties and bra were removed, exposing her shiny, smooth, white skin.

"Gulp…"

"Issei-kun…sleep with me." She half-commanded, half asked. It did not feel right to have only her naked, so Issei stripped. Although he wanted her right there, right now, he needed to show restraint, so he kept a inches away from Irina. They covered their nakedness with the bed sheets, which they shared. The warmth that is trapped under the bed sheets were not enough to satisfy Irina.

"Issei-kun...come closer." He scooted a bit over towards her side, but it was not close enough to have skin contact.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry Issei!" She could only half yelled in her state. In Issei's mind, her pants and pleading sounded very attractive, making his sexual desires even more crazier than ever before.

"Mou, don't tease me! Please…"

"S-Sorry"

He was chest to chest with angel before him.

"I love you Issei…" Her face is buried in a blush so deep that it would've been impossible for Issei not to call Irina a tomato head. He swallow his spit due to the sight and feeling of her entire body; he also liked how bashful and cute she was in her current state.

His shaft was already fully erect; the head can feel something moist, slippery and warm in between her legs. He pumped his hips slowly in rhythm in response to the sudden pleasure. Irina felt it and continue to let him do it.

"I want it Issei…but please, be gentle..." she watched, lovingly, as Issei continued to pump his hips a bit faster. He let go of her breast and placed his hands on her pelvis, strengthening his grip and moving even faster. She had a sudden urge to release her wings and halo due to the immense pleasure that she was feeling; she could not believe that this was their fateful union.

"Pahh…" and so she did, she released her wings and halo. Her sudden pant made Issei move a bit harder while keeping a steady pace.

"My angel, my very own angel…" Issei could not have help to do the same.

"Hahhh…" His dragon wings covered Irina. She reached up hesitantly, almost as if she was a baby and traced patterns on his wings.

"Mmm...I-Issei…" he almost lost himself at her moan. Again.

"...Irina, I think…no, I'm going to do it. I'm putting it inside." the rubbing sensation was not enough for him. He took control of the situation, and positioned himself on top of her.

"W-Wait— Issei—" just as she was about to say something, she felt his genitalia pushing into her. It's length and width went past, and broke her angelic chastity.

She felt the pain sensation of losing her virginity, and tears came down her cheek as Issei push even further into her.

But she was happy.

"...I-Issei...it's okay, y-you can move." she whimpered in his ear and signaled him to continued the ritual of love.

Although he at first he insisted on waiting for her to recuperate, the tenderness would not hold. The tightness of her vagina was more than he could bear. His soul seemed to slip down to his guts and fly out into her, and the gigantic thrust he made into her then provoked the lovely sounds she made.

Following the disintegration, the falling away of sexual desire, he was conscious of her hands on his head, the fingers clenching, holding him tight and close to her.

She wrapped her feet around his back so he can't get away. His face is next to hers. The bed springed sounds like crickets during the empty nights. He puts his fingers in hers, and hold on tight.

He would die rather than take his thing out of her.

Not until he had let go of all he had, and give it to her.

-Line Break-

…

Everything felt like a dream.

It was not unusual for boys in his age to have wet dreams, like the one he just had.

When he stretched his legs and arms, he felt the smoothness of her skin. Upon feeling such sensational things, he alertly sprung up from his bed.

He found himself in the [Ero Room], just like the dream.

"...Mnn...just a few more minutes, Issei…" the sleeptalking of the Angel teenager girl he enveloped reached his ear, and made his face turn pale.

He had done it. And there was no turning back.

From that point onward, Issei's love had switched over to Irina.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I am not good at writing lemons. I read lots to gain inspiration and knowledge in able to write out the scene. But what helped me the most was the book called 'The Bluest Eye' by Toni Morrison. Trust me, going through that book was one of the strangest, uncomfortable journeys I underwent.**_

 _ **In the original chapter two, everything was just straight forward. I add more**_

 _ **mature content this time, to reinforce the idea that Issei will end up with Irina. How ironic, I usually don't like NTR, but when I finished redoing his chapter, I was like, 'holy shit, I actually just wrote a NTR'.**_

 _ **For those who did not paid attention, or did not read the LNs, Irina was gifted a room by Michael, where she could have sex with Issei without falling. That is why Irina did not fall.**_

 _ **I know it sounds confusing that although Irina did commit adultery (well, Issei did tbh), she did not fall, but in the LNs, she is part of his harem, and technically, that does count as adultery, but yet she did not fall. Yikes, I just repeated myself :p.**_

 _ **Just letting you guys know, this story is shifting towards to Issei x Irina. Although there will be plenty of harem elements, the real ship in this fanfic is Issei x Irina.**_

 _ **Well then, that's the second chapter done.**_


	3. The Decision, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughs

(...)-Side note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

 _ **"..."**_ -Akatosh

 _ **Edit A/N: To those who are still confused, this is Vol.20 of the DxD LN. If you hate spoilers and haven't read the remainder of Vol.20, please stop reading this fic, go read Vol.20, and then come back :). Google and Reddit is your friend!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Reviews are always appreciated!**_

* * *

Decision, Arc I

Part 1

The day after the career consultation and the news of Ravel's and Riser's safety; things have finally become better and Issei no longer feels depressed, knowing that his adorable manager is safe. Ravel will return to the Hyoudou Residence, after Maou Beelzebub's custody. Beelzebub promised to bring her back within two days or less, depending on the situation. On top of that, he and Irina had established a new relationship, and in the first time in days, he was able to sleep peacefully. In fact, it was the first time Issei snuck out of his bedroom, and went to the [Ero Room] to sleep there with Irina, just the two of them, out of all things.

" _I just felt like sleeping with just you is better for my overall health."_ is what he said to Irina.

Upon waking up, Issei turns his head towards the already awake angel.

"Good morning, Ise-kun." she cooed into his ear, and when her warm breath reach the gape behind his neck, it made his hairs stood on edge.

"Morin' Irina."

"What would you want for breakfast, darling?"

"Hotcakes, I guess."

"Then, I'll make the best hotcakes you have ever tasted!" determined to show off her cooking skills, Irina immediately went off to the kitchen.

Issei, forgetting that he had to go to a certain place early in the morning, stood up and put on his clothes. On his way towards the door that leads to outside, he crossed paths with Irina. He didn't say anything to her, but he did smile towards her direction. Irina, who was confused, looked behind her to confirmed that Issei was smiling at her. Then she blushed, rushing over to his side and gave him a morning kiss on the lips.

"You still haven't eaten breakfast, baka."

"I just did." he winked. He chuckled, and pat her on the head.

"Next time, kay?" he continues onward to the certain place, despite Irina's complaining.

"I-Ise-kun!? Mou~! Don't just go off on your own without saying anything to me! You meanie!" she was a bit annoyed, but eventually she stopped, only to be smiling at his backside as he left the house. She knew that he was going to the dome under Kuoh Town because Ophis had just left about a few minutes ago, and he needed to check on her.

-Line Break-

"I didn't expect that you would take care of this egg." said Issei, as he saw Ophis hugging the egg tightly.

"I, have never raised children. Curious."

"Hehe-" Issei started to laugh. Ophis turn in head to side, confused on why Issei was laughing.

"Sorry Ophis. It's just that...it felt like you was a parent, as you held onto it tightly…. Seeing your adorable actions, I couldn't help myself and start laughing."

Ophis nod, as she lets go of the egg and came closer to Issei. She sniffed him, and he sweatdropped, surprised that Ophis is even doing such a thing, which isn't a thing a Dragon God-sama should not do.

"You, smell familiar." she said.

"W-What does that mean?" asked Issei.

"I, don't know. But, you remind me of a hourglass."

"An hourglass?"

"Yes. No matter, it's not important." Ophis returns back to her routine. Issei shrugged it off, knowing that Ophis have said weird comments like the one she just said in the past. He also suspected Crom Cruach to be here as well, but he is nowhere to be found when he came in.

"I'll leave the egg to you Ophis."

"I, protect." Ophis nod her head as Issei goes back to the Hyoudou Residence.

-Line Break-

Two days later, the long awaited weekend had finally come. Today is the day where Issei and his friends would meet up with Ajuka Beelzebub, and also the day Ravel will return home. The available members of the [DxD] were on standby, and ready to use the transportation magic circle underneath the house to travel over to Beelzebub's location.

Before they left, Issei called his parents bosses to see what's been going.

{"We're sorry, but and had just left about two days ago."}

"Ah...I see. Thank you." Issei sighed as he hangs up the phone.

" _I guess there's nothing to worry about. They could've wanted some alone time. Anyways, what's important right now is Ravel."_

After that thought, he returned downstairs.

-Line Break-

It was time; the members of the Occult Research Club, the Sitris, Griselda and Azazel had gathered in the basement. Dulio was on guard duty in Heaven, and Ikuse Tobio was on a mission elsewhere, so both of them couldn't come here. The Vali team didn't come either due to unknown reasons.

"…" Issei was a bit distracted. He obviously chose to pick Ravel up to return here, but he was rather concerned about his parents.

"What is it, Ise?" Noticing that he seemed a bit strange, Azazel curiously asked him.

"Ah, sorry, it's just something I'm a bit concerned about."

Perhaps knowing what it was, Rias said:

"Did anything happen with your parents?"

As expected of Rias, she really understood Issei. Azazel exhaled, and then continued:

"I was wondering what it was; so you had an argument with your parents? Letting strange things worry you right now will be troublesome. Say it out and you might be able to relax a bit."

"Oh I didn't have an argument with them. It's just that...I haven't seen them for four days now. Last time I saw them, they said they had some urgent business over their workplace."

"Don't worry so much about them Ise, they could be doing 'that' as we speak, for all we know."

"I-I guess…"

"Parents, they won't stay by your side forever. Someday, they will leave you. So, while they're still here, you should properly fulfil your responsibility as their child."

"Ah, yes, I know…"

"These words, you need to remember them as well Rias."

"I understand them very well. But, isn't it about time?" In response to Rias who calmly answered, Azazel sighed.

"Really, that's why I say you young people…you should all get ready."

* * *

Part 2

When the light disappeared, the place they arrived was at a sandy beach.

The sky above was very dark and the sound of rustling waves echoed over the quiet beach. In the Underworld, seas didn't exist. It was difficult to say that it was a huge lake too. But the sky looked somewhat different from the Underworld. While Issei was thinking about that, he saw 'it' hanging in the air. It was something which closely resembled the moon, and there were two of them. In the human world, only one moon was visible in the night sky from Earth. Everyone noticed that this place was neither the human world nor the Underworld, and began looking around everywhere.

"This place is known as a field which is part of the reproduction of another dimension, [Another World]."

A voice was suddenly heard. Looking over at the direction where the voice came from, there was a man sitting on a chair on a certain side of the beach. It was a man with a bewitching atmosphere...it was none other than Maou Ajuka Beelzebub. Placed beside Maou Beelzebub was a bed; on top of it there seemed to be someone sleeping there.

Beelzebub closed the book he was reading and greeted them.

"Long time no see, members of the Gremory household…no, right now, I should say the members of [DxD]."

Azazel-sensei took a step forwards first, and shook hands with Beelzebub-sama who had stood up.

"It's been a long time since we last saw each other in the Underworld, Ajuka."

Beelzebub smiled as he shook hands.

"Being able to meet you like this without any other VIPs present is a first, Former Governor Azazel-dono."

"Rather than me, did you prepare this beforehand as well?"

"You could say that our meeting is rather dangerous for our factions, even if there are the members of [DxD] to intervene."

"Ajuka-sama, what about Raiser and Ravel?" asked Rias

Beelzebub looked towards the bed.

"Raiser Phoenix was just taken away by the Phoenix family who came a little earlier. But they thought that it would be more appropriate to entrust the ojou-san to you. Ravel-san is over there."

Issei saw Ravel sleeping peacefully. He wanted to go to her as soon as possible, but something didn't felt right to him. As Koneko ran towards her and calling out her name, he decided to stand there with everyone else.

In response to Koneko's calls, Ravel spoke.

"…Nnn…Koneko-san…?"

Seeing that Ravel was safe, Koneko-chan embraced Ravel as she cried. Everyone was at ease and had their hands over their chest. Issei noticed that somebody was tugging his sleeve.

"Ise-kun? What's wrong?" Irina whispered.

"Ah, it's nothing. I'll be fine."

"It didn't look like you were fine just a few seconds ago. Your face turned white."

"I-It did? It might be just your imagination playing tricks on you."

"..." Although she nodded, she held on to his sleeve and stood close to him. The other girls were a bit suspicious at Irina for making such moves on Issei.

Ravel looks around and she finally had Issei locked onto her sights. After Koneko stopped crying, she also turned and face Issei and Irina.

"You two seem pretty close for a Devil and Angel." teased Beelzebub.

-Line Break-

The discussion about the [King Piece], Diehauser Belial, and now the [DxD] team has to rush over back to Kuoh Town to check if Ophis was alright.

Once they finally made it…

Ophis was lying on her bed…with her clothes ripped and tattered. Asia was currently healing her. The external injuries gradually faded until they disappeared. When they saw that Ophis had already been brutally injured; her limbs had all been shattered, and her face was very heavily injured as well. Her entire body was covered with wounds caused by claws, and she had lost consciousness. Even after receiving treatment, she had not regained consciousness. If she was still infinite, these kinds of injuries wouldn't matter at all.

"What the fuck just happened…?" Issei was horrified to find Ophis at such a state.

"…It looks like she was attacked in that underground space. At the time, I had a sense of anxiety, and quickly rushed over there. At that time, the Evil Dragon had already escaped. The one who arrived there before me was Crom Cruach."  
explained Dulio.

"…" In the direction that Dulio pointed towards, Crom Cruach stood there as he leaned against the wall. Dulio then said:

"Ophis, she…in order to protect the [Spectre Dragon] egg, she was beaten."

"…Uhh. …Ophis."

Issei was so angry that his entire body was pulsating. An aura of rage seeped out of his body.

"O...Onii…" due to Issei's aura, Ophis suddenly starts rubbing her eyes and look towards him.

"Ise, calm down. You'll just be doing what they want if you don't maintain your composure. All of us can also understand your anger. I, as well as everyone else am undeniably angry."

"…I know, everything is because of that guy…it's all part of that bastard's plan…damn it!"

"Ise-nii." that one word from Ophis made everyone silent.

She made a fully recovery, which eased everyone's mind. But…

"Ise-nii!" she tackled Issei, for some apparent reason, that even Azazel could not explain. Confused, Issei grabs her and lifts her up.

"O-Ophis!? What's gotten into you!?"

"-?" she turned her head in confusion.

" _ **Have you forgotten?"**_

"-!"

"Shit! …How did it come to that? Those bastards, they actually went and did something like that…!" After thumping his chest a few times, Azazel adjusted his breathing and said to him:

"Ise, listen to me calmly. Do you understand? You absolutely have to listen to me calmly."

"What actually happened, sensei? What is it?"

"Your parents, they were kidnapped by Qlippoth."

In that instant-

" _ **-break."**_ Issei had almost unconsciously activated something that he wasn't suppose to yet.

Sadness…

Anger…

Regret…

All those negative feelings begin to pour out of him.

 **[Partner, clam down! You're scared me for a second there...your feelings almost trigger-]**

"Ise-nii, it's my fault." Ophis lower her head in sadness. It was a first for anyone who had seen Ophis apologized properly.

Issei's mind is in total chaos. He collapsed on the spot. As his vision darkens-

" _ **...You are a fool to put me aside."**_

-Line Break-

"Ise-kun, you're finally awake!"

"Huh…? Irina...what are you doing…?"

"I'm taking care of you until everyone is prepared to move out. You passed out after receiving the news about-" Irina purposely bit her tongue on the last part. She wasn't supposed to remind him about the situation about his parents.

Issei looked around and saw that he was in the [Ero Room]. He got up from the bed and walked towards the door.

"I-I….need to rescue them."

Irina came running towards him, hugging his back and tightening her grip.

"Ise-kun...don't go." she pled.

"..." he didn't want to make Irina unhappy, but at the same time his parents are in immediate danger. He had to go after Qlippoth no matter what.

"The meeting to discuss our battle strategy for the operation has already begun. Just rest for now Ise-kun, you'll need it."

"...Okay." remarkably, Irina was able to convince him. She let out a sigh of relief as she sat back down.

"Where's Ravel?" he asked.

"She's...at the meeting. You want me to bring her here?"

"Yeah, I wanna to talk to her. In private."

"..." she nodded and did what Issei told her.

-Line Break-

" _My anger towards those bastards is endless, I won't forgive them. I will definitely bring those two back. And I'll make sure Qlippoth will never terrorize the world again. Permanently."_ As Issei makes such resolves, someone was knocking on the door. The person who walked in was Ravel.

"Ise-sama…" Having walked into the room, Ravel looked at him with a worried expression.

"Come here Ravel, sit by me. Let's talk for a bit." Issei's voice was soft and gentle, which made the little phoenix a bit better. Ravel quickly sat by him; he smiled as he looked at her, but her face still clouded with unhappiness.

After a moments of silence, Ravel spoke:

"I really made you worry."

"Yeah, you did. Scare the living shit out of me, to be honest." he confessed.

"I wasn't by your side when you had your career consultation…I was useless in all the crucial moments, as your manager I'm too ashamed…"

"W-What are you saying? It doesn't matter, it is enough for me that Ravel is safe."

"B-But…I couldn't do anything at all during all the critical moments…! During the Devil Uprising, the unrest in Romania, that time with Auros, and even this time…! I'm supposed to be your manager, yet I can't stay by Ise-sama's side…. If that hadn't happened to me, Ise-sama's parents wouldn't have…"

Ravel poignantly cried. Although she covered her face with her hands, streams of tears still flowed down her face through her hands.

Issei gently watched as she cried. The eyes that were filled with bitterness and coldness about a few minutes ago, turned warm and cozy as he close the gap between him and Ravel.

"You're wrong about that, Ravel. Precisely because I had Ravel waiting for me, I was able to face the enemy and fight with confidence, you know? So, don't cry." he said as he hugged her tightly.

She hugged back and stuffed her face on his chest.

"…I will always, always accompany Ise-sama by his side. Regardless of whether it's a hundred years, a thousand years, or even the more distant future." she said.

"..." Her blue eyes sparkled as she looked up towards his face.

" _She's so adorable….it feels nice to have her as my Manager…."_

"-!" unconsciously, Issei kissed her forehead.

"S-Sorry. I was just...caught in the moment."

"I-It's okay...I-I don't mind…"

"Looks like it's time for us to go. You'll be staying here I presume?"

"Y-Yes…"

-Line Break-

" _ **You have avoided me for long enough Hyoudou Issei."**_

" _You're that same dragon from before...what do you want?"_

" _ **It's not like I have any ill intentions. But listen, and I recommend Ddraig to listen as well. For I, will grant you the key to save your parents, defeat Qlippoth, and destroy the beast."**_

 **[No one, not even I have the power to do all those three objectives at once. What are you suggesting, to offer such a task?]**

" _ **Remember what I gave Issei?"**_

 **[You mean...]**

" _ **Heh, it seems that you are close friends with my imouto, Ophis. I suspect she's already clinging on to you."**_

" _Why did she suddenly start calling me Ise-nii?"_

" _ **That is not important right now, is it? Anyways, I already have given you the power required to do this. Although, I suggest you withdraw from [DxD], and go on your own."**_

" _T-That's impossible!"_

" _ **Is it really? All you need to do to unlock the power I've given you...and to do that, you need to absorb a dragon's soul. And there plenty of mass produce Evil Dragons guarding that Lucifer freak."**_

" _You mean Rizevim?"_

" _ **Yes."**_

" _And what if I refused your gift entirely?"_

" _ **That is perfectly fine. I'll just find another successor, and I will immediately take my power back, and give you Ophis's power that I took out from you. But if you choose that, then the faction leaders will disappear due to the power of Trihexa. They will end up sealing themselves in order to fight the beast, and you won't see them for thousands of years."**_

" _You gotta be kidding me!"_

 **[What proof you have!?]**

" _ **I am the Dragon God of Time. It wouldn't make sense if I can't see the possible future. Now Issei, do you accept my offer? Choose now, for the fate of the world rest on your hands."**_

" _...I'll choose-"_


	4. Damned, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 **[...]** -Announcer/Ddraig

 _ **"..."**_ -Akatosh

[...]-Níðhöggr/Evil Dragon

 _ **A/N:**_ _ **This was the first chapter that I will use a soundtrack for a certain situation in the story. I chose Dead Ended by Clark S Nova and Kevin Sherwood. The reasons are pretty obvious for those who played Gorod Krovi before...give the music a shot, and you'll see how pumped it is :). Search it up on Youtube, but I don't advise you read the story and listening to the music at the same time. First, read, then you'll listen to clearly understand...maybe.**_

 _ **Please forgive me if the fighting scenes are too short.**_

 _ **Reviews are always welcomed!**_

* * *

Damned, Arc I

Part 1

Issei had finally made a decision.

He accepted the Dragon God of Time's offer, and now he planned to head out to where Rizevim and his army of Evil Dragons are located. But first, he needs to know where exactly is the current location, and how he will get there.

" _ **Do not fret, Issei. I will teleport you, via through a magic circle to their location. Once you see an army of Evil Dragons, then you'll know you're at the right place. Focus on your main objective, kill and devour as many Evil Dragons as you can, then rescue your parents. You should be able to wield my power by the time you get there."**_

" _I see. But before we begin...why you chose me?"_

" _ **That is a question I can not truly answer. All I can say is that you are in a prophecy depicted in the most powerful and holy relic in this universe. After this battle, you, Hyoudou Issei, shall know more of this relic, and safeguard it if necessary."**_

" _I understand. Should I say anything to my friends before I leave?"_

" _ **That is your choice, but I recommend you go without saying a word. You know the reason…"**_

" _Then let's go, before any of them finds out."_

 **[I'll still support you partner, even though this is clearly a suicide mission, and what the enemy exactly wants. I hope you are prepared for the worst, I don't say this much often, but I am afraid.]**

" _Afraid of what exactly?"_

 **[I am afraid of your confidence. You are pretty much staring death down in it's eyes at this point.]**

" _Ddraig, I am scared shitless as well. But if I don't do this…"_

 **[Then people's lives are at stake. That shitty Dragon God is telling the truth, there is no denying the possibility.]**

" _ **I'll start teleporting you guys. The rest...is up to you."**_

A magic circle appeared on his feet, which looks similar to Ophis's, but instead of the infinity symbol and the color being purple, it was orange and the symbol was a time glass.

Just before he teleported, Irina saw the orange light. Curious, she walked towards it, to investigate. What she saw, shocked her.

"Ise-kun…?"

"Shit. I thought I was able to teleport without anybody noticing. But might as well say this before I go...Irina, from that moment on christmas day...I just wanted to say this. I love you...And I don't know I'll come back or not, but remember this: From the bottom of my heart, you are my favorite out of everyone. Goodby-" he was cut off by the teleportation.

After he left, Irina couldn't move. Her heart felt pierced as she stand there, dumbfounded.

"Irina-sama?" Ravel also came to investigate the orange light.

"I...Ise….kun...he…"

"Irina-sama?!"

"Ise-kun just left…"

-Line Break-

Issei had arrived in the outskirts of the city of Agreas. As he looked towards the city, he found it deserted. Not a single life populating the town...expect a bunch of Evil Dragons.

He suspect the worst for the civilians, adding another reason to kill Rizevim without any mercy.

 **[Now that we are here, what's your plan partner?]**

" _Do you see any Evil Dragons nearby?"_

 **[Yes...the one of front of you. It seems to be coming right at you!]**

" _Then I guess it's time to start!"_

[Guha, guhehehehe. COME OUT ALREADY! YOU GUYS ARE OVER THERE!]

 **[...Níðhöggr.]** After hearing Ddraig's voice, the Evil Dragon deepened the smile on it's face, which caused Issei to become disgusted.

[You there, you're Ddraig? Guhehe. Long time no see, you've actually become rather small. Oi! Where's the rest of your little group!?]

"They are not here." Issei took a step forward and asked Níðhöggr:

"…So you're the bastard that caused Ophis to end up like that?"

After hearing his question, the Evil Dragon laughed nastily.

[Guhe, guhehehe. That's right, Lucifer's son told me that there was an extremely tasty dragon egg. He then sent me in there. After that, I found that Ophis who had become small was in there. I told her to give the egg to me, but in the end I got rejected. But that egg is truly a very delicious egg, so I wanted to snatch it. Yes yes, your father and mother, Lucifer's son gave them to me. As soon as I showed them to Ophis, she actually quietened down. It was really amazing. Don't you think so? And then, I beat Ophis really hard without holding back! And then, Ophis looked like she was going to let me do as I pleased, and she didn't fight back at all. So I took advantage of that and beat Ophis even harder!]

Issei quietly began the chant for the true crimson armour. Níðhöggr didn't take any notice of him at all; it still had a gleeful look on its face, and its fetid saliva continued to drool out of its mouth as it continued to speak.

[Because that Ouroboros Dragon didn't show any resistance at all, I happily beat her up over and over again, I kicked her over and over again, and I stomped and bit on her; I was sooo haapppy!]

Issei was so mad that his fists were trembling as he clenched them.

[Guhehehehe. That was really too cool. It was simply far too cool! But, I didn't get to eat the egg so I'm feeling very hungry. Since this is a rare opportunity, why don't you let me eat you? Eating the meat of a little Ddraig wouldn't be too bad right? Oh, yes. I should also eat your father and mother while I'm at it!]

"...Ah, good. Looks like we can understand each other a bit."

[Huh? What are you on about?]

"You stupid fucking dragon, I am the one who's going to eat you…!"

"—And I will lead you to the Path of Heaven, glowing in deep crimson light!"

[Cardinal Crimson Full Drive!]

With Issei's entire body encased in crimson armour, he concentrated an enormous amount of aura into his fist.

 **[Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost!]**

 **[Solid Impact Booster!]**

Issei thrust his right arm, which had swelled up in size due to the Solid Impact upwards. Seeing how serious Issei was, Níðhöggr created a defensive magic circle in front of it. Issei's fist was full of momentum and rage; it easily shattered it's defensive magic circle, and then smashed directly into its face in an instant. The sound of the attack impact was extremely powerful, and the single punch sent the massive Níðhöggr flying. But, Issei was far from done…

 **[Star Sonic Booster!]**

Wherever the Evil Dragon went, Issei manage to go behind him and use [Solid Impact Booster] to send him flying once again. He repeats this process, reminding him the arcade game of pinball, with Níðhöggr being the pinball. It also reminded of him of his favorite television show: Drag-so Ball.

[OOOWWWWWWWWW! IT HUUUUURRTTSSS!] The Evil Dragon screamed in pain, as Issei continues his deadly, and somewhat funny attack. Numerous bones were broken for every punch Issei delivers. Finally, he let go of Níðhöggr, making his huge body slam onto the ground.

[W-What the hell! Y-You damned little Devil! I'll kill you! I'll definitely swallow you up!]

"Oh? But looks like you can't move. Did I broke a few bones?"

[I'll flatten you!]

"This is getting too tedious. I'll end it here. So long, bastard."

"-Ascalon!"

 **[Blade!]** for the first time in a while, Issei held the grip of the blade. He knew that the blade itself will not kill it, so he charged it up.

 **[Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost!]**

[W-Wait a second! Those eyes of yours, why are they orange?! Why are you giving such a creepy vide!? Y-You're not serious about eating me, are you?!]

"That Phoenix Tear won't save you, as long your soul is absorbed. Don't worry, I'll make it as painless as it can be."

T-This is madness! Y-You're not clearly sane are you!? Guhehehe, no matter! Even if you do manage to eat me, what will it do against an army of Evil Dragons!? Kukukukukuku!

Without flinching, Issei said:

"It'll be enough to eat the rest of them."

[-!? You You You….evil bastard!] for the first time in it's life, the Evil Dragon Níðhöggr felt fear as it stared at the cold eyes of Issei.

"Huh. That's an irony." Issei chuckled as he pointed the sword towards it's heart, and stab without hesitation.

[…Gah! Guaaahhh! OOOWWWW!] The Evil Dragon screamed in pain. Then it stopped moving.

The flesh of the dragon started to peel off it's bones, then moved towards Issei. It's soul wrapped around him, giving him the shivering sensation, but also replenishing his energy. In fact, he felt stronger than before.

 **[Dragon Soul Absorbed.]**

 **[Power of Akatosh is granted. Wings of Akatosh is granted.]** The announcer of the [Boosted Gear] announced the two things Issei wanted to hear.

"Holy Shit..." Issei's hands were shaking.

 **[What the fuck did we just get?]**

" _ **Surprised? Behold, Hyoudou Issei and Y Ddraig Goch!"**_

"T-This is..."

" _ **Continue to kill and absorb more dragons. You'll need the maximum power in able to activate Dragonbreak."**_

 **[Kukukukuku! I think I'm starting to like this plan! Alright partner, let's get wild!]**

"Hell yeah!"

Issei fly towards the city of Agreas, with 12 orange dragon wings on his back.

-Line Break-

The room is tense in the VIP room, which is on the top floor of the Hyoudou household. The members of [DxD] are infuriated because of the rash decision Issei made, and they thought it was suicide. Azazel is constantly trying to call Issei.

"Damn it! What the fuck is he thinking?!" Azazel cussed, as he continues to search a way for to communicate him.

Asia is crying ceaselessly, declaring that she will go after him if she must.

Rias and Akeno are sitting on the couch with a hollow expression.

Kiba is keeping his cool, but just one spark will ignite him.

Koneko didn't spoke much, but she had an angry expression.

Irina and Ravel, the last ones to see Issei, were being questioned by the other members of the [DxD].

Everything is in chaos.

"I finally got a damn signal!" Azazel shouted in relief, which got everyone's attention.

"Ise! Are you there!?"

{Sensei?}

"Ise, get your ass back here, now!"

{Can't do that Sensei, Sorry.}

"Ise, god damn it! I'll have you imprisoned, if you don't get here within five minutes!"

{Heh. I see. Well, if I make it back alive, let's talk about that imprisonment. For now, save it.}

"Damn it!"

"Sensei, let me talk to him."

"Good idea kiba, maybe you'll get some sense out of him."

A magic communicator appeared in Kiba's right ear.

"…Ise...I can't replace you. Rias Gremory's [Pawn] can only be you, and that's why I cannot replace you. That's because my most important friend said this to me: 'you are Rias Gremory's [Knight]'. That is why I will be a [Knight] to the end."

{...The things of that time, you returned it to me.}

"I won't tell you not to get angry. But please return to your usual self and get back here. If you forget the words which were originally your own, you definitely won't be able to bring out your own true strength. Hyoudou Issei's true value, is that he restrains the anger within himself, doesn't allow his field of vision to narrow, and is able to find openings in his opponents."

{...That's why I decided to go on my own, and I won't come back until I finish what I started. I've been given the opportunity to end this once in for all, and go back to our original lives.}

"Damn it Ise-kun! it's not just you who's feeling sadness for your parents!"

Hearing the crying Asia, Issei was silent for a few seconds.

{I'm sorry Asia, but once I finish here, I'll come back with otou-san and okaa-san. For now, just believe in me, ne?} he finally said.

"Ise-kun!" the line was cut off. It seemed like he hung up.

"Ara, were you busy nya~?"

"Ah, hello everyone."

After Kuroka's and Le Frey's simple greeting, Azazel asked the two of them:

"Kuroka, Le Fay, where did you guys go? Although I heard that you were together with Vali…"

Kuroka didn't wait for Azazel to finish and interjected:

"Well, we were together just then. From there, after we got hold of some important information, we hurried back over as soon as we could nya~"

Kuroka looked at all of them and said:

"We've roughly confirmed the location of those guys' hideout, Agreas."

["What!?"]

Everyone was shocked to hear this information. Qlippoth's base was in the floating city of Agreas. That place had finally been found. After sensei heard this report, he couldn't help laughing.

"What good timing, Kuroka. As the saying goes, 'having borrowed, one must return'. It's our turn to take action!"

"That was right. We wouldn't let ourselves be bullied by them in silence. Starting from that, we began the meeting to discuss our battle strategy for the operation which would take place in Agreas."

-Line Break-

"Hey Ddraig, you see that? That's a huge wave of Evil Dragons!"

 **[Alright, let's test out our new powers shall we?]**

(Black Ops 3 Gorod Krovi- Dead Ended)

Without a shred of fear, Issei flew towards the army of Evil Dragons. The dragons, at first, were confused and arrogant, thinking that Issei had a death wish and could not possibly take them on alone. His new 12 wings gave him above godlike speed, which was an extreme advantage. He charges forward in his crimson armour and killed his first victim.

[GAH!] it groaned as it breathed his last air. Then Issei absorbed its soul

 **[Dragon Soul Absorbed]** the skeleton fell towards the ground below, and the other Evil Dragons started to view Issei as more of a threat, and started to attack him in full force.

 **[Dragon Shield!]** four magic circles appeared, and protected him from the attacks. Then one by one, Issei absorbs their souls, gaining more power than ever before.

It was hard for him to remain the same after gaining this much power.

 **[Dragon Soul Absorbed 4x]**

After getting more power, he starts to kill two dragons simultaneously. Then three…

Then by wave….

Each time, he kill more and more. The up coming waves starts to flee:

[He's going to eat us!]

[Run!]

Issei had a bit of mercy left in heart, and let the fleeing dragons go.

"Should we press on?"

 **[Yes. There's no stopping now, Issei.]**

(End of soundtrack)

-Line Break-

The [DxD] had finally arrived to Agreas, and the first thing that they saw was the skeleton of Níðhöggr. They were frightened and dumbfounded, to find one of the most powerful Evil Dragons to ever existed, dead.

"What the…" Azazel was speechless of the sight, and he couldn't comprehend it.

After gaing over their shocks, the [DxD] team prepared to attack.

As they move out, they begin to realize that Agreas seemed lightly guarded, for it to be a base for Qlippoth. They move further in, and saw below their feet-

A wave of dragon bones all over the ground.

* * *

Part 2

Issei finally reached the observation room of the top floor of building, where Rizevim is currently located and hopefully his parents.

It was a very spacious looking room, and it might even have enough space to serve as the venue for a fight. When he stepped into the room, Emperor Belial turned around and questioned him.

"Sekiryuutei-kun. What do you plan to do with me?"

"You're not my concern, if you already have read the situation."

"-Anything's fine in this situation." the owner of a very familiar voice, which would make Issei feel uneasy, emerge from the darkness. Looking over to where it came from, a silver-haired Devil emerged from the shadow of the display equipment.

"I have...-no, as the son of Lucifer, haven't I already allowed this, Belial?"

"…Rizevim-sama" Rizevim pat the Champion's shoulder, and then turned his gaze towards at him.

"It seems we meet again after our previous meeting in Heaven, Sekiryuutei."

"...Yo, son of Lucifer. I really wanted to see you. Now hand over my parents."

"Ho? Now this is something I didn't anticipated. How the hell were you able to get through all those Evil Dragons by yourself? I know that you came by yourself...did you gave them a deal, or did you compromise with them?"

"No. I killed them, well...some of them fled."

"W-Well, no matter...allow me to introduce the audience for this show." Rizevim clicked his fingers, and a transportation magic circle appeared in a corner of the observation room. After the light of the transfer faded, the ones who appeared there were - Issei's parents.

"-It's the Hyoudou fusai."

"…Tou-san! Kaa-san!"

"..."

"..."

They didn't respond.

Issei noticed that their skin were grayish and their mouths slightly opened, covered with blood. Their eyes were slightly open, and their pupils did not have any light reflecting.

"Oh, I forgot, I killed them! Don't worry, I already told them the truth already about your true existence. Oh! How they screamed! It made me teared up!"

"..."

"Oi! Sekiryuutei-kun~ Don't you want your parents back? You can have them if you want, but you better hurry before some mean Evil Dragon eats them! Not that it won't matter much, they are already dead! Kukukukuku!"

"Rizevim-sama, his aura...it's not normal…"

"Hmm? Why are you so scared Champion-kun? He is just a stupid pervert, who thinks he can save the world by coming here by himself. There is nothing to be afraid!"

 **[Oi, the one who calls himself** **the son of Lucifer….you just made the worst mistake in your life.]**

"Oh really? I think I just did the opposite~!"

 **[No really...you just fucked up.]**

Issei, once again released his 12 wings. His eyes were glowing with rage, similar to when before he activated [Juggernaut Drive], but this time, his eyes were glowing orange.

He said only two words, and he said it with a calm, stern voice:

 **[Dragonbreak]**


	5. Dragonbreak, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

 **"..."** -Issei in Dragonbreak

 _ **A/N: Hello to all! In this chapter, I used some of the translations for Vol.20. So, some of this is not original. Of course like always, the plot twists are original.**_

* * *

Dragonbreak, Arc I

Part 1

The city of Agreas was nothing but a boneyard, filled with bones of slain Evil Dragons. The streets and the roofs of the houses were covered with dragon bones, and the scenery sended shivers down to everyone's back. Azazel had his eyes wide open the entire time, surprised to even have the privilege of seeing such a sight.

"Who could've done this? This is a first...in all my life, that I have never seen a mass murder of a particular species; could this be Qlippoth's doing?" Azazel asked himself.

"That is highly unlikely, nya. When we were scouting, there was a mass amount of Evil Dragons guarding the city. These bones are most likely the Evil Dragons themselves, since it makes the most sense; we also can confirm this, since we analyzed the first dragon bones we saw, and it was confirmed to be Níðhöggr, nya."

"Kuroka is right...we are dealing with something more dangerous than we thought."

"And Ise is nowhere to be found…" Rias's voice is trembling with fear. Although Issei had been a bit occupied and didn't have much time for her, she still care and love him. Her whole world is about to collapse, if she doesn't find any news of him as soon as possible.

"Rias, we have to find Ise-kun, it's our first priority."

"Akeno, I understand, I'm worried too...but there is an order to things."

"Speaking about Ise-senpai...there is something different about him…."

"What do you mean Gya-suke?" asked Koneko.

"Everytime I tried to use my Sacred Gear, for some reason...I…."

"What does Ise have to do with your Sacred Gear?" asked Azazel.

"I, I don't know...it makes me feel a bit weird."

* * *

Part 2

"Oi! Sekiryuutei-kun~ Don't you want your parents back? You can have them if you want, but you better hurry before some mean Evil Dragon eats them! Not that it won't matter much, they are already dead! Kukukukuku!"

Upon seeing his parents being a display for Rizevim's twisted purposes, Issei's mind snapped, broken into pieces. He didn't even felt sadness at that moment, only the urge to murder the son of Lucifer. Diehauser Belial, aware of his aura, knew that Issei is about to go full force. But then, he saw the orange aura around him, twisting and turning around his body.

"Rizevim-sama, his aura...it's not normal…"

"Hmm? Why are you so scared Champion-kun? He is just a stupid pervert, who thinks he can save the world by coming here by himself. There is nothing to be afraid!"

Issei gritted his razor sharp teeth.

 **[Oi, the one who calls himself** **the son of Lucifer….you just made the worst mistake in your life.]**

"Oh really? I think I just did the opposite."

 **[No really...you really fucked up. And now prepare to have your head on a spike!]** Ddraig roared with anger, as Issei once again released his 12 wings. His eyes were glowing, similar to when before he activated [Juggernaut Drive], but they were orange glowing instead of green.

An hourglass appeared in his right hand, and as he breaks the glass, he only said two words:

 **[Dragonbreak]**

A burst of energy released from Issei's body suddenly sends Rizevim and Diehauser flying, hitting the wall.

 **DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!**

A mixture of red and orange aura, and the aura started to climb towards unknown heights. The crimson armor started to change, his body became more larger, as well as his wings. The refined armor now has a mixture of red and orange, and the jewels turn into different types of colors. His helm had a new design, with a large horn at the end of each ear.

His surroundings were blown away, and the building itself collapsed. The corpses of his parents, fortunately, were saved by his aura from any damage, and he placed them at a safe location, away from the battlefield. Rizevim was astounded by this sight, and he kept shaking his head as he shouted:

"Juggernaut Drive!? No, that's completely wrong! Although it has the same organic change as the Juggernaut Drive, that ominous aura can't be felt at all. Rather, the aura which rises out of its skin is…!"

Rizevim's whole face turned from happy, to distorted.

Ddraig declared to Rizevim:

 **[This new powerup is like Dragon Deification, which was rumored to be the absolute power that only Ophis can bestow. Fufufu, I guess the rumor is technically proven wrong, since her older brother, Akatosh, can also bestow this power; Although his version of it is called [Dragonbreak].]**

"…What kind of a joke is this? Ophis's big brother?! What nonsense are you on about?! Fuck, you've already reached the point where your mortal mind can not handle, yet you were still able to evolve…!"

" **[ DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD !] "**

Issei aimed his fist towards Rizevim, and using his fist's momentum, he drove a direct punch towards Rizevim by surprise; Struck by that single blow, Rizevim flung onto the ground. Despite that, he immediately stood back up, and felt the part of his face that had been hit. His nasal bridge had been knocked crooked, and he had an incessant nosebleed. Rizevim forcefully pushed his nose back into place and stopped the bleeding, and angrily glared at Issei.

"…What the fuck was that just then? Why wasn't it invalidated!? Did my ability not work!? How is that possible!?"

" **Unslaad Krosis."**

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?...No matter, from the looks of it, it doesn't seem like you can maintain that for long. Since that's the case...I'll just drag this out. I got many tea-"

In an instant, Issei is already behind Rizevim, and stole his supply of Phoenix Tears.

"What the-" unable to finish his sentence, Issei's once again struck a blow, but this time it was towards his chest.

"Gahhhh!" Rizevim, unable to react quickly, was blown away; the momentum didn't stop, continuing all the way through multiple buildings. After a brief period of time, Rizevim flew out from the rubble, cursing out at Issei.

"YOU FUCKING LITTLE SHIT! I'LL KILL YOU!" releasing huges amounts of demonic aura, Rizevim flew forward towards Issei. Throwing various of spells, Issei dodged them easily, only to be tricked when Rizevim was already behind him.

"Got you!" he then landed multiple kicks on his legs; he kept on kicking him, making Issei stagger into the ground. After that, he gave several more fierce blows to Issei's helmet, stunning him, which allow Rizevim to seize Issei's throat with his hand, filled with demonic energy. Just as Rizevim was about taunt him, Issei immediately shook him off by using Ascalon to attempt to cut of his arm, which failed, but freed himself from his grip. He flew back slightly, and then used his momentum to charge towards Rizevim, while releasing various magic circles, each having a different color, just like his jewels on his armor. Rizevim already prepared himself, taking countermeasures, releasing his own magic protective barriers.

"Die!" Rizevim shouted, as he throw multiple spells at Issei, while simultaneously holding up the barriers. Issei was slowing down, unable to make an impact, which allowed Rizevim the chance to steal back the Phoenix Tears. The son of Lucifer clenched his fist, which was enveloped in a massive amount of demonic aura, and landed a direct hit towards Issei's chest. Although it obviously hurt, Issei somehow recovered quickly, as he continued to rush forward. Rizevim prepared himself once again, blocking Issei's combinations of high speed kicks and punches. Taking advantage of an opening, Rizevim counterattacked against Issei, by using demonic aura in his hands and burning Issei when he had contact. Issei retreated from Rizevim, trying to heal his hand from the injury, but Rizevim did not allow him, and reappeared behind Issei, attempting to punch him directly in the abdomen with a fist imbued with demonic energy. Able to block it at the last second with his injured hand, which caused it to be immobilized, Issei fell back a to re-strategize.

Rizevim, having his bag filled with Phoenix Tears back, took out the first bottle and opened it up.

"Now then, I'll use the first bottle." he then proceeded to drink it. Issei knew he can't maintain his state for long, so he mentally prepared himself. After a few seconds, nothing was happening to Rizevim when he swallowed the Phoenix Tear.

"…What's going on? Why haven't any of my injuries healed?"

"…Indeed, this is reality. But, it's already reached this point." the Champion quietly muttered. A small magic circle was created in his hands. Rizevim, who immediately grasped the meaning of these words, stared at the Champion.

"…You're the bastard who invalidated them…? You completely invalidated the effects of the Phoenix Tears?"

"…Originally, the Belials' ability [Worthless] could only be used against an opponent's ability. But, 'objects' are not an exception. …As long I know about its form and substance, it can become [Worthless]. All of the Tears that you hold have already been made [Worthless]."

Rizevim clutched all of the bottles of Tears in his hand.

"…Since the battle against the House of Phoenix; you were already expecting this from the very beginning!" Rizevim vented his dissatisfaction and anger towards the Champion, and his face had become distorted. Seeing that Rizevim miscalculated his expectations, Issei laughed.

" **When you confronted Michael-san in Heaven, I thought that you were indeed the son of the Maou Lucifer, and I was somewhat fearful. I expected you to become imposing; when you opened his wings of Lucifer in Heaven, I feared you. But… I was wrong, dead wrong. It was the same as what Vali said; this is your true nature, a clownish ossan, who seemed to be not very brave by imitating his father. Your current demeanour is your original attitude, isn't it?"** Issei mocked him.

"I'm not a pretentious and hypocritical seventeen year old kid, like you, you know? If I'm an ossan, then what are you?" Rizevim taunted and asked.

" **... I am the person who has something to lose, the person who wants a family that does not have to worry about motherfuckers like you, who are selfish and childish. In other words ossan, I am somebody better you, in all aspects of life. I shall be known as the [Red Diabolus Dragon of Time]. I do truly pity you, you know? For you to be pretending to be the original Lucifer, it's as if your daddy did not gave you enough attention."** Issei released an insane amount of energy, that is consider to be holy energy. He compressed it into his fist, and went forward at full speed, towards Rizevim. Rizevim had his defensive magic circle already up, and successfully block it.

"Hahaha!" Rizevim laughed as he was about to counter attack, but Issei's other fist had already charged up, with more energy and smashed it through the barrier, and directly into his face. The sound of the attack impact was extremely powerful, and it send Rizevim flying, unable to withstand.

Issei then turned his attention towards Diehauser, who was behind him after he launched Rizevim.

" **You…"**

"It seems I have no choice but to fight you, Sekiryuutei-kun. Although...please forgive me, for I was the one who kidnapped your parents...I wasn't aware of Rizevim-sama's plans for them, until it's too late."

" **...My main concern is Rizevim. It is a shame though, for the champion to be nothing but a asset, a resource to that stupid old man. But...although you kidnapped my parents, you did not killed them. For that...the least I can do is ruin your reputation and put you in life imprisonment."**

"...You are truly too kind, Sekiryuutei-kun. But...I rather die than live the rest of my life in a cell. So...fight me to the death."

" **...Than it shall be done. Dir ko naaf, fah hi fen kos vodahmin."**

"[Worthless]. That is my, the Belials' ability. I do believe that you've heard of it…"

" **..."** Issei rise his fist and launch towards Diehauser. The champion was able to use [Worthless] on Issei, so he suspected that his attack would invalidate.

"-!?" Although it looked like it worked, Issei somehow was able to land a critical hit.

"Guah!" Blood oozed out from a corner of the champion's mouth, but he readied his posture.

"Your attacks are good; they're straight and direct without a trace of hesitation. I really would like to have a contest against you in a Game."

" **How about this then? Why won't you release that power of yours?"**

"You sound too cocky, Sekiryuutei-kun. But I will grant you wish…!" Diehauser released his full power.

 **GOOOOOOOOOOOON**

The ground shakes as he prepares his attack. In an Instant:

" **-!?"** Issei was already punched multiple times, and was sent flying towards the sky. He stopped himself by expanding his 12 wings, but Diehauser was already coming at him at full force. Issei was able to block the punch, but the [Worthless] ability made him significantly weaker.

"That's it, Champion-kun! DESTROY HIM!" Rizevim came crippling back, and cheered for the champion as if he already won. Diehauser struck a blow to Issei's face, and broke his helm completely.

"-!?" Although his mouth is covered with blood, Issei smiled a crooked smile and his orange glowing eyes stare down the Champion's. His pupils were barely visible, frightening the Champion.

"...Take this!" Diehauser decided to finish him off with his most powerful punch he can muster.

"Arrrgaaaahhh!" he yelled as his punch made impact. Issei flew all the way to the ground, and when he made impact, it made a huge crater.

"..." the Champion looks down towards the crater, and Rizevim quickly rushed over to Deihauser's side.

"You did it! Hahahahaha! That bastard is dead! Now with nothing left to stop us...666-kun can finally be revived!"

"...Rizevim-sama...you have a visitor." Rizevim turned around, and saw Vali already in his armor.

"The last to show up is my lovely grandson. Oi~ You come just at the right time Vali-kun~ Grandpa will play with you until 666-kun is fully restore!"

"...Where's Hyoudou?"

"Aww~ It seems you came too late~ he already died, by the hands of no other Diehauser Belial!"

"...Did you really think Hyoudou Issei will be dead from that attack? Think again…"

"Don't believe me, look down and see...for...yourself…" Rizevim's confidence went away, and Vali did indeed looked down towards the crater...and what he saw was a beam of orange light.

 **[Kukukuku!]** Driag laughed as an eruption of orange aura starts to come out of the hole.

"WHAT!?"

" **Surprise, motherfucka!"** Issei launched himself towards Rizevim, and made a decisive blow.

Rizevim, who was happy a few seconds ago, had cough out a large amounts of blood. Issei didn't let him go flying, as he grip his head and repeatedly continue to punch his stomach.

Vali watched silently, as he saw his grandfather being tortured by his lifelong rival. Diehauser also watched, but did nothing, due to his shock of Issei's sudden return after using his most powerful attack he had ever managed to use.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Rizevim finally released his 12 devil wings and freed himself from Issei's grip.

"Oryaaaaaaahhhhh!" All of Rizevim's wings had been rolled up, and they were then swung down towards Issei. The sharp end of the wings was about thrust towards him, but Issei evaded them at high speed. However, the impact of his wings caused all of the building and roads below to be destroyed.

"Nuraaaaaarrgghhhhhhh!" This time, Rizevim released several extremely large shots of demonic energy. Both the intensity and aggression of his demonic energy were incredible.

"Haaaaaaaaaahhhh!" Rizevim sends massive bullets of highly dense demonic energy towards Issei, and they were all deflected by his punches and kicks. Of the bullets of demonic energy that he deflected, some went down to the streets or buildings of Agreas, and some were sent even further away. The moment that they landed, enormous explosions occurred in various places. The resulting gusts of wind swept away everything in the surrounding area. The wings on Rizevim's back were all swung at once, and a powerful aura burst out of his body. With that, he flew above Issei, and shouted:

"Eh! Well! Let me give you something massive as a return gift! Your nakama are a few miles away, right? If you evade this, then they'll die, won't they!? Even if you're able to destroy this, your family members corpses in the remains of the Government Office will all be destroyed by the aftershock!" After Rizevim shouted like that, he gathered an unimaginably overwhelming aura in both of his hands. An incredible amount of demonic energy emerged from his hands and they are appearing above his head. An incredible ball of demonic energy more than ten metres in width. There were also six of them.

"DISSAAAPPPPEEAARRRR!" he shouted and laugh coldly.

" **[ DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD !] "** Issei prepared his final attack on Rizevim, but he didn't want to kill him. Instead-

" **[Time Blaster !]"** Each of Issei wings had a small cannon, which can fire a dense combination of crimson and orange aura, all at once.

The blast from the 12 cannons and Rizevim's six demonic energy spheres collided with each other. Then, a massive explosion engulfed the sky above the floating city of Agreas. Booming, explosive sounds, strong winds, and all kinds of other phenomenon occurred. Issei's cannon blast and Rizevim's demonic energy were eliminating each other in the sky...All of the windows in Agreas were completely shattered by the shockwaves which were produced. The sky turned into a field of red and orange interwoven together. Those two extremely large and powerful attacks clashed with each other, and then annihilated each other. Amidst the smoke which was generated by the explosion, the figure of a person could be seen.

It was Rizevim. But, because he just withstood the impact of that explosion, more than half of his wings were damaged, and blood was dripping out of every part of his body. Blood was seeping out of his ears, nose and mouth. Flying also seemed very strenuous for him. In contrast to him, Issei was completely unharmed. Seeing that he hadn't suffered any damage, Rizevim's expression was intertwined with anger and unease.

"…Could it be that I'll end up like how Shalba and Cao Cao did, being defeated by you like this…!?"

Hearing this, Ddraig was also slightly surprised, and he then said:

 **[Shouldn't you have known when you got involved? My partner, Hyoudou Issei has always been in pursuit of peace and quiet. But, whether it's that descendent of the old Beelzebub, the leader of the Hero Faction, or even you, the son of Lucifer, you've all trampled over that which should not without a shred of hesitation.]**

"…Kukuku, so you've become the new Super Devil [Dragon Maou]. …In that case, I wonder if my grandson will become a Super Devil before long." Rizevim looked at his grandson, who was shocked at seeing such a display and fury that Issei had unleashed.

After saying that, behind Rizevim, a transportation magic circle was created.

"…But, I will not die here…I will take my leave!"

" **Oh no you don't!"** Before Rizevim can even escape, Issei destroyed the magic circle and grab him by the legs.

"Eiiiii!" being scared shitless, Rizevim let out a yelp. He threw him on the ground and step on his chest, breaking his rib cage.

"Yahhhhh!" Rizevim screamed in pain.

Issei then turned over to Vali.

" **Be my guest, Vali."**

"W-What?"

" **Kill him. You have every right to kill him, after all the shit he made you go through. I don't know the exact details...but you should be the one to end his miserable life."**

"...Impressive. Hyoudou Issei. You, fighting for your family…I was captivated by it."

" **I wasn't fighting for my family...I was fighting for revenge. The bastard killed my parents, and it's already too late to save them. But I, Hyoudou Issei, will still hold their values...I will not kill this man out of anger."**

"...I see...I'm sorry for your loss...it is...a tragedy."

" **Don't feel bad for me, Vali. By not killing this man, I already gain victory and showed my parents that I am thankful for all they done. If I kill this man...then I will no longer be Hyoudou Issei."**

"To have such a strong resolve…."

" **Take this blade."** Issei offered Vali Alcosan

"Right." Vali griped Alsscan, although it slightly hurted him. Vali stretched out his right hand, and gathered a great and dangerous amount of aura towards the sword. Seeing this, Rizevim began to smile apologetically.

"Ah wait, Vali-kun, I was wrong…you see, I'm your grandfather aren't I? Have a little mercy on me."

Vali quietly exhaled. Rizevim's eyes widened, and he continued to try persuading Vali.

"These days, one of the necessary skills for young people is to care for the elderly, right? Vali-kun!? Ah, I understand now! I admit that everything I've done until now is wrong! Bullying you all is my fault!"

Vali didn't hear his cries.

"Hey hey, it's all my fault! Whether it's money or a beautiful woman, whatever you want, I'll give it to you, okay?"

Vali lifts up the sword and said two word with a gentle voice:

"...Fuck you."

And proceeded to chop off his head.


	6. The Effects of Dragonbreak, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

 **"..."** -Issei in Dragonbreak form

 _ **"..."**_ -Akatosh

 **{...}** -Trihexa

 _ **A/N: Hey guys! All I have to say is enjoy the chapter and don't forget to leave a review!Thanks :D Oh! I am also looking for abeta, if you're interested, PM me.**_

* * *

The Effects of Dragonbreak, Arc I

Part 1

The sound of bone breaking echoed throughout Agreas. The deed was done, Rizevim was dead by the hands of Vali, although it was Issei who crippled him. Vali took the head of his dead grandfather, and saw the dead man's eyes twitch before it rolled back inside his sockets.

"..." he then threw the head away from him, disgusted by how he begged for his life. Having a small grin upon his face, Vali then turned his attention to the headless corpse of his grandfather, and it looked like a burden had been lifted from him; after a few minutes of feeling relief, he then noticed that Issei, still in his [Dragonbreak] form, was staring at Diehauser.

"Dispose of me as you like. You have the right to do so." Diehauser said, as he came closer to Issei and Vali, with his arms opened and his eyes closed.

"… **No matter how many years, or even thousands of years you spend, please atone for your sins. …The girl that I love(?) has said that she wants to compete with you. …Having a Game against you as their dream, surely it wouldn't just be Rias. There are a lot of contestants who also have this dream."** Issei responded.

"…Even so, you said that I actually can't die. …You're truly crueller than anyone else."

With a frown on his face, the Champion continued to ask him:

"…There is one thing, please tell me. I've heard rumours. …You met Yaegaki-san and Cleria's soul in Heaven. …Cleria, she…what was her expression like?" Issei recalled the ghost which appeared to be Cleria, when he was in Heaven. He remembered that Cleria was tightly embracing Yaegaki.

"… **She had a very gentle expression."** After hearing his words, the Champion let out a stream of tears.

"…I see…I've lost."Seeing the dispirited Champion sit down, Issei couldn't help himself and looked at the sky.

" **...it's finally over..."** Issei said, letting out a sad sigh. Vali, knowing the fate of Issei's parents, opened his mouth to speak, but then quickly closed it. He had trouble expressing his absolute gratitude, as feelings that were locked away since his childhood all of the sudden came at full force. Vali admired Issei, for he refused to kill Rizevim for revenge.

"..I...I am inspired by your resolve, Hyoudou." he finally said.

" **Do not pity me, Vali."**

"N-No, I am not pitying you...I-I, am expressing my gratitude to my rival, who is also my...best friend." Vali said that from the bottom of his heart. Issei then gave a weird, long stare at Vali.

" **Heh. Are you trying to pull my leg-"** Issei then was cut off by a bout of nausea. He immediately covered his mouth; Deep in his throat, something was coming up from his abdomen that he couldn't hold back with his hand.

When he noticed, he was already coughing up large amounts of blood from his mouth. The taste of iron was present, and then there was also something warm running out of his nose. He suddenly felt weak and sensed that he had lost all of his energy. He body collapsed, and fell onto the dirt.

"… **Huh?"** He could only look at the ground, as his blood spurted out of his mouth.

"Ise!? Get a hold of yourself!" he heard the cries of Vali, but it became distant from him. He muster all his strength to make a smile, for he had never expected to hear his rival suddenly cry out his name.

 **[…Partner. This is the price of power. Akatosh's power…is really too…]**

Everything in front of his eyes slowly turned to white, and then became dark.

-Line Break-

"...This place seems familiar."

" _ **It's because it is. You don't remember our first meeting, Issei?"**_

"Our first meeting?"

" _ **Don't worry about it too much, I did not expect you to remember. But things seemed to turned out differently than I expected, which is a very good result."**_

"..So, what now? Am I dead?"

" _ **Not exactly, but you don't seem quite surprised, in fact you pretty much suspected the consequences of using my power, right?"**_

"Not really, I just had a sense that using that power will have a price. But, I am interested, what were the consequences of using [Dragonbreak]?"

" _ **Before I get to that, I will tell you the reason why things turned out differently. Since you have experienced with a dragon type Sacred Gear, it seemed that you have complete control of using [Dragonbreak]. All your predecessors did not have a dragon Sacred Gear, which forced them to use the ultimate form of [Dragonbreak], known as ["True Dragonbreak"]. You are forbidden to use that form, unless I deem it so."**_

"I see...so, where's my body now?"

" _ **Serafall Memorial Hospital. Do not worry, you are already recovering, as we speak. Firstly, all of the organs in your body stopped functioning, while your heart and other important parts still barely continued to function. Unfortunately, Asia's healing ability had almost no effect, which showed just how serious the recoil from [Dragonbreak] was."**_

"I wonder how they were able to get me to recover…"

" _ **Phoenix tears and breast milk...lots of it…"**_

"Wow...where the hell they get the breast milk from!?"

" _ **All of the mothers in the hospital, who could produce milk, donated their breast milk. However, the amount of breast milk which was obtained from the hospital did not reach the volume that Azazel specified, thus, the breast milk from all of the hospitals in the capital were sent over, and a considerable amount had finally been amassed. Five portions of Phoenix Tears were also put in, and then mixed so that it would be homogeneous. The final product which was obtained was a mixture of breast milk and Phoenix Tears. Azazel then told your friends to place you inside it to soak."**_

"..."

" _ **What's with that horrified face? You are called the [Oppai Dragon] for a reason..."**_

"I just did not expect that method to work! Anyways, all that matters is that I'm recovering nice and easy."

" _ **It does sounds nice, but unfortunately, Trihexa is destroying everything as we speak. You collapsed before Rizevim's soul left his body to activate Trihexa."**_

"..."

" _ **Fufufu, you have changed so much; Mentally and physically. Who would've known that 3 weeks ago you were just a perverted brat? Now, you have reached the level above the gods. Perhaps...you see the world as an old dragon...just like me."**_

"["True Dragonbreak"], can it be mastered?"

" _ **...I have no idea."**_

"What is the game plan now? I'll stay here until I regain consciousness?"

" _ **Now we should make some type of compromise...you know you can't defeat Trihexa with just [Cardinal Crimson Promotion]; You'll die if you used [Dragonbreak] once again."**_

"So...either way, my life is fucked. Either die as a hero, or let the world end."

" _ **Here's my offer, kill Trihexa with [Dragonbreak] and I'll resurrect you with my own blood and flesh, just like Great Red and Ophis did back then. But since it's my blood and flesh, it will completely nullfield [Dragonbreak]'s consequences everytime you plan on using it. I'll make sure Ddraig doesn't find another host while you're gone. So you have another chance to live your life as you see fit. The process of doing that...is one year. So, you won't see your friends in one year after dealing with Trihexa."**_

"Heh, You're cruel, aren't you? A temporary farewell…"

" _ **But it's worth it."**_

"Right…I agree with these terms."

* * *

Part 2

(A few days after the raid of Agreas)

As soon as the OCR club members entered the hospital room, they saw Issei, sitting up on his bed. While they were fighting in the Norse World, Issei had finally regained consciousness. He watched the TV screen with a solemn expression, and then turned towards them after he noticed that they were here.

"Yo, everyone!"

Issei greeted them with a smile, which allowed them to their exposed smiles and sigh in relief, as they moved closer to him.

"…It's great that you're really alright. …If you died, Ise-kun, I don't know what I'd do…" said Akeno as she wiped her tears.

"I'm sorry, I gave everyone a lot of trouble after becoming like this…" Issei apologized.

Rias held Issei's hand and smiled lightly.

"You don't need to be like that." Issei gave a wry smile in response to Rias. He solemnly turned his attention towards the window, looking outside the capital city of Lilith. The street lights shined brightly, which was a sight to see. Many citizens of the underworld are outside, looking at the big televisions.

"Ise-kun...are you alright?" asked Kiba. He noticed the expression in his eyes was unusual. Everyone else had noticed, and Asia asked:

"Ise-san…? What's wrong?" Issei's vision shifted from outside to his reflection. His eyes weren't it's usual color, instead they were a mixture of yellow and orange. His pupils was barely visible.

"...Strange…" he said to himself, then his eye color return to normal, leaving him confused, but then quickly accepted it. He then turned his attention to Ravel, who has been avoiding eye contact with him. Once she noctied him staring at her, she finally gather her courage and asked Rias:

"Rias-sama...I would like to discuss some things with Ise-sama, alone."

"R-Ravel? Are you sure this is the right time?"

"Y-Yes." Rias looked at everyone, and they noded. She let out a sigh, and ordered everyone to leave the room except Ravel.

"..." Issei silently watched his cute manager fidget.

"Ise-sama…" Ravel went closer to him, as far as taking off her shoes and getting in his bed. Issei felt a pair of soft marshmallows on his chest, and her arms wrapping around his waist.

"Ise-sama...please, forgive me…." she started to let out her tears. Issei, who was confused, patted her head.

"What's wrong Ravel? Why are you crying?"

"...sob….because I….sob."

"Don't cry, you look so much prettier when you're happy, Ravel."

"...Ise-sama...you're parents…."

"Yeah...I know. They are in a better place, I hope." he said.

"...But-"

"Perhaps….you feel guilty because of how things turned out?"

Ravel noded.

"That's absurd. Ravel had nothing to do with it, so don't blame yourself."

"...Ise-sama...you're too forgiving…"

"Maybe, but there's no way I'll ever get mad at Ravel. So stop crying, kay?"

"...sob…."

"Okay, how about this? Just rest your head here."

"Eh…?"

"Just do it, here."

"Ah.." Issei hugged her tightly, and rocked her back and forth like a child, which eventually stopped her crying. She also hugged back, clinging on to his chest and resting her head upon it.

"Can you hear my heartbeat?" cooed Issei.

"Your heartbeat…?"

"Yeah, listen closely."

"...Mn, I can hear it."

"People feel at ease when they hear a heartbeat, and that is because they grew up listening to their mother's heartbeat as a baby."

"...Mn."

"I'll say this again, you had nothing to do on how things turned out to be. You were a victim just like okaa-san and otou-san, and actually, I'm glad you came out of there alive and safe...I…don't know what I'll do if you die…"

"I-Ise-sama…"

"Cheer up Ravel."

"Okay…"

At that time, the voices of children were heard from the television.

[Hey, you guys. What if monsters come to the Underworld, what will happen to us?]

Facing the news reporter's question, the children smiled as they replied without a trace of fear.

[There's no need to worry! Oppai Dragon will come to defeat them!]

[Lion-san too! They'll definitely beat those bad black dragons in a cool way!]

[At that time, Darkness Knight Fang will join forces with Oppai Dragon, and they'll definitely defeat all of those monsters!]

[Me too, I think those like the Switch-Princess can also help everyone. The beams are amazing.]

[Angel-oniisan is also very strong. Because he's Oppai Dragon's friend, he must be strong.]

[Butt Dragon is the strongest! The television also said that he's Oppai Dragon's rival, just watch, the red Oppai Dragon and white Butt Dragon will show up. With that, we're no longer afraid.]

"…The children didn't feel any fear at all. That means I can't just stay here while everyone else is giving their all to protect the world."

"Ise-sama, you can't! You haven't fully recover yet!"

"Doesn't matter. I need to go Ravel."

"...Then let the others know as well. We'll come with you."

Issei nodded his head.

-Line Break-

Just as Issei exited the patient room, he saw someone leaning against the wall waiting for him. It was Vali, and his unexpected presence surprised Issei a little…Vali lower his head when he saw him.

"..." he remained silent, which sort of pissed off Issei.

"Now don't give me that look, I'll be fine."

"Fu, I wanted to take a look at your face before I was about to leave, it looks like you're already dressed. I'll wait for you over there. You're also going, right?"

"Oh, of course."

"...before we go, I'll just like to say some things, to get it out of my chest."

"...go on."

"I'm sorry for threatening your parents." Issei astonished by the sudden confession.

"...Psh. Whatever man." Issei chuckled. Vali was dumbfounded by his response; he thought Issei would reject him due to the situation and grief he had, but instead he readily forgave him.

Soon after that, Vali laughed. Like a young child, he laughed innocently.

"Haha, I don't know why. Hyoudou Issei, after all, I truly envy you."

"Well, if I don't have any family left, then I'll just make my own." Issei winked.

"...You still a pervert? Anyways...shouldn't you be thinking about forming your own team?"

"You mean my peerage? Nah...not right now. After this turns of events, maybe."

"I didn't mean that. Peerage aside, wouldn't it be nice to form a different 'team'? My team is not my peerage. But as a high-class Devil, it's also possible to have private guards in addition to your peerage."

"…Not belonging in my peerage, but only belonging in my team…"

"If you asked me which side I wanted to fight with, compared to the team that Rias Gremory's leads, I would want to fight against the team that you formed even more. You could call it the selfish desire of a rival.…But, we need to cross over the bridge in front of us first."

"Yes, we must get past this."

"Don't die, Issei."

"..."

-Line Break-

"Oh, so you two came." Azazel said.

Behind Azazel, Issei could see the members of the Occult Research Club, the Vali Team, and Ikuse Tobio's Slash Dog Team.

The Occult Research Club members ran towards him.

"Ise! Does that mean you're going to fight!? Are you really alright!?"

"Hold on, are you serious, darling!?"

Xenovia and Irina asked for his confirmation. Then he said:

"I will also fight! Trihexa has also headed towards Japan, so I can't possibly continue sleeping!" Hearing his declaration, Rias appeared somewhat speechless, and helplessly sighed.

"…There's really nothing that'll stop you."

"That's right. If we're going, then we'll all go together. No matter what, we'll overcome it together."

Akeno also giggled softly. She swiftly agreed to his request to fight. But, the two of them pointed at him with their fingers, and sternly said to him:

""But, you definitely can't be reckless!""

"..." Issei replied with a smile.

At that time, Ravel took a step forward and handed a small bottle to him.

"This is Ise-sama's Phoenix Tear. …T-This is the product of my work, you know?"

"Thank you, Ravel." Issei patted her head.

After he thanked Ravel, it was Rossweisse turn to give him an amulet. It was a Japanese-inspired amulet.

"I turned a Nordic talisman into a charm of Japanese style. Although it won't have any use on the effects of Dragon Deification, it's able to protect against other disasters or misfortune."

" _Does everyone still think I used Ophis's power? Oh well, might as well keep it a secret."_ Issei thought ti himself.

"Thanks Rossweisse."

And then it was Koneko.

"…I'll become large during the battle. So that you don't get hurt, there's no need to look at me too much."

"O-Okay!"

"…If you don't recover quickly, you won't be able to see me when I grow up, so please don't be reckless." Hearing Koneko's sincere words, he pat her head.

After everyone was prepared to go to Japan, all of the sudden, the ground shook and the smoke appeared. And as the smoke cleared….

 **{Zu'u lost rund hi, kul do Bormah.}** Trihexa, alongside with an army of Evil Dragons appeared in front of everyone.


	7. Withdrawal from DxD, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

 **"..."-** Issei in Dragonbreak form

 **{...}** -Trihexa

{...}-Aži Dahāka

[...]-Apophis

 _ **A/N: Hey guys, what's up? Sorry for the chapter being delayed. I was taking my mid-terms. During the mid-terms though, I edited some of the chapters, and added additional scenes and dialog. I highly recommend to go back and check those chapters out.**_

 _ **That's all I have to say! Also, HYPE for VOL.23!**_

 _ **Shout out to**_ _ **CptBiaggio. He is the one who beta this chapter.**_

 _ **Don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Withdrawl from [DxD], Arc I

Part 1

 **{Zu'u lost rund hi, kul do Bormah.}** As the dust clears, a humanoid being that emitted a white brilliance appeared in front of them. It spoke words that nobody could not understand, expect Issei. He flinched at the words Trihexa said, and he was also confused, since what he heard from the news, Trihexa had split into multiple parts.

" _Is it one of those parts?"_ he asked Ddraig.

 **[It is the consciousness of Trihexa. It is formed by an aggregate of its consciousness. However, I didn't think that it would have the appearance of a boy.]** announced Ddraig.

"This is simply madness! This is the missing part of Trihexa that we didn't know the whereabouts of!" Azazel yelled out in despair.

Then multiple magic circles appeared behind Trihexa.

{Yahoo! Sekiryuutei~ I'm here!} Aži Dahāka appeared from the magic circle.

[Sekiryuutei. This is truly a great honor.] The dragon next to Aži Dahāka was Apophis.

The core of Trihexa, Aži Dahāka, Apophis, and an army of over a hundred Evil Dragons and Fake Sekiryuutei are now in the capital of the Underworld, in front of Serafall's Memorial Hospital.

"...So, what brought you guys here?" Issei finally said, then all three heads of Aži Dahāka answered him.

{Don't play dumb, Sekiryuutei!}

{Yeah, yeah! You know exactly why we are here!}

{We saw a bunch of bones in Agreas! It was your doing, correct!?}

Issei stared at Aži Dahāka in annoyance.

"Is it revenge for Rizevim or for the dead Evil Dragons?" Issei asked.

{We don't care less about that shithead!}

{Nor do we care about the other dragons and Níðhöggr!}

{We only want to see you in your full strength!}

[Please forgive this fool for not clarifying our objective here. Trihexa had just given us some information about you, Hyoudou Issei.] Apophis clarify.

"And what is that said information? Also, that thing can speak?" Issei responded back with venom in his voice. His friends and allies looked towards him, and realized that his aura was leaking out, getting ready to explode at any second. Irina went towards him, and grab his hand to calm him down.

"I'm here, Issei-kun." she said. Ravel also did the same.

"Issei-sama, don't let those scum get to you."

[Fufufufufu, you sure ask a lot of questions, which you have answers for. There is no use in playing dumb, Hyoudou Issei, or should I say, the user of [Dragonbreak]? Aži Dahāka, Trihexa, and I would like to see those powers in detail, since we never saw or heard of [Dragonbreak] before. So, in able to test out your abilities ,we brought enough forces to obliterate the Underworld completely. So, Hyoudou Issei, will you fight? Or let the poor civilians die in vain?]

"Ise, what are they talking about!?" Azazel demanded.

"Sensei...maybe it's best if I dealt with this alone." Issei finally decided to not delay, letting go of Ravel and Irina, walking forward towards the enemy in front of him.

"You fool! Are you suicidal!? You know that this is an impossible fight! We have to work together as a team until reinforcements comes!" Azazel yell in a state of panic.

"The reinforcements won't be useful if we end up dead, I can handle this much, for a short amount of time."

"Issei, if you attack them, then I have no choice but to label you as terrorist!" Azazel threatened.

Issei stopped in his tracks. And turn his head towards everyone.

"...so beat it." he looked back with sad eyes, knowing that the path he chose would lead him to death. At that moment, he did doubted Akatosh, who was promising to resurrect him if he defeated Trihexa in his full power.

"Irina, we need Ise to cooperate! You are the only one who can speak to him!" Azazel demanded. He already knew that Issei had special feelings for Irina, feelings that were stronger than those for Rias.

"But but but….mou! Ise-kun! Please don't!" Irina begged him. Her begging almost made Issei burst into tears.

{Say, isn't that the angel that the Sekiryuutei likes?}

{Yeah, it is!}

{Say, we should kill her! Maybe that will make him fight!}

"Don't you dare bring her into this!" Issei roared in fury, as a time glass appeared in his right hand.

{Fufufu}

{Hey maybe we should do that!}

{Alright it's settled! Looks the first victim is that angel bitch!}

 **[Dragonbreak]** he shattered the glass once again, but this time with more force. Blood drip out of his fresh wounds and sudden bursts of energy starts to exit out of his body, wrapping around him, until he was completely overflowed with it. The remaining orange aura was absorbed by the [Boosted Gear].

His body became larger, and the armor was equipped, with a mixture of orange and red. The jewels changed into different colors, and finally his helm was equipped, with two horns at the top. He released his 12 wings, which made Aži Dahāka and Apophis glared with joy. Trihexa stood back, watching. It wanted to see if Issei would prevail the forces of Evil Dragons.

[Truly splendid. This aura simply cannot be compared to any being in the world, except for Trihexa-sama. You, are truly terrifying, Hyoudou Issei.] Apophis said with joy.

{Kukukuku! This is the power that Trihexa spoke of!?}

{It's amazing!}

{Far from ordinary yo!} Aži Dahāka said with glee.

 **{Hi fent krii enook dovah voth geinan sun, ruz Zu'u mindrus hi ol dii ronit, ahrk mu fent krif ahstaad tahriik nol lein.}**

"..." understanding what Trihexa said, Issei smiled creepily at the Evil Dragons.

{What it said, Hyoudou? You understand him, don't you!?}

{Spill the beans out!}

{Come on! Don't be like that~} all three heads of Aži Dahāka complained.

 **[Ise, what did it say?]** Ddraig also asked.

" _Kill every single dragon with one blow."_

 **[...Then it's time use those new powers, eh? I wonder, which one will you try out first?]**

Issei outstretched his arms, preparing for his attack. The two legendary Evil Dragons watched silently, as they themselves prepared for the assault. Issei then disappear, and reappear in the middle of the 100 Evil Dragons and fake Sekiryuutei.

" **[ DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD ! ] "**

" **[IONIC DRAIN!] "**

Once he activated his technique, all lesser Evil Dragons and fake Sekiryuutei in a spherical volume around Issei was absorb, or what he likes to call it, bio-leeched, effectively neutralizing them. Without even laying a single blow, Issei killed the entire army. Bones starts raining down upon the Capital city. Although he absorbed the souls, gaining more power, it left an impact in his body, decreasing his speed and making him breathe heavily; stream starts to blow out of his helmet. The wounds on his soul are still recovering, and it is certain that if he continued to use powerful techniques like that, he would die. He needs to save the remainder of his strength to fight Trihexa.

 **[Ise, use the lesser abilities. It should be enough to deal with Aži Dahāka and Apophis.]**

" _Yeah, I know."_

{That-}

{Was-}

{AWESOME!}

[To sudden kill a hundred of them in mere seconds...I say this truthfully and with much pride: I fear you, Hyoudou Issei. You, no doubt, can exterminate the entire Dragonkind with that power. You already made the subspecies of mass produce Evil Dragons extinct. But, judging by your condition, you can not use those powers lightly, as they will take a toll on your life.]

" **I know you guys are using the Holy Grail, since Rizevim's stupid ass decided to hand it over to you."** Issei's suspicions was correct.

{Yeah, we need this for we pull tricks like this!}

{We do need our subordinates to be alive!}

{If we're going to the another world, then we'll need an army!}

" **Go ahead. Try to bring them back, it won't do any good. Without their souls, they're pretty much dead. I also used their souls to heal my own, for I can use the abilities of [Dragonbreak] without receiving too much damage."**

 **[Although you used [Ionic Drain], which made your movements slower.]**

[I see. Once you absorb the dragon's soul, it becomes a part of you until you use it, correct? And since you already used them, we can't revive them using the [Holy Grail].]

" **Exactly. That thing is useless towards me."**

{But you're forgetting an important factor of why we are using the [Holy Grail].}

{It's to restore our limbs, yo!}

{As long we're alive, the [Holy Grail] got our backs!}

" **Heh, that is true, Aži Dahāka. But, you're just postponing the inevitable. Once I kill ya, I'm going to literally eat your soul and use it against Trihexa. So use the [Holy Grail] as much as you like, but once I land a decisive blow, you're not escaping my jaws. The same towards Apophis."**

[Say Hyoudou Issei, are you interested in another world?] asked Apophis.

" **Truthfully speaking, I'm definitely curious about it. It's uncharted territory, so it's certain to cause excitement in any man. But I absolutely do not want to defeat Great Red, who is freely and leisurely drifting about in the Dimensional Gap. After all, Great Red is one of the saviours of my life. Although I'm not sure if he ever thought about it that way…."** After hearing his reply, Apophis' lips curled up slightly as he smirked.

[I see. Well, it's only a matter of time after all.] While saying that, Apophis placed his hand in front of his chest.

[I apologise for my impatient nature, but please allow me to have a swift victory.]

All of a sudden, the surrounding area became pitch-black. As Issei turns and looked around in every direction, he realised that the entire island had been enclosed within a barrier.

 **[…This is bad. That guy wants to decide on the victor in one go.]**

{Yo Apophis!}

{Meanwhile you deal with Sekiryuutei, I'll go have some fun with the white one.}

{This should allow us to kill some time before we move on!}

* * *

Part 2

Apophis's entire body gradually became enveloped in darkness. It created an island that was enshrouded by darkness, the darkness hovering around Apophis's body gradually began to expand, and slowly change. It finally formed a shape, and had become some kind of large object. A solar eclipse floated in the sky above the island, which revealed only a thin halo of light.

The thing which appeared in the sky to obscure the barrier was a gigantic serpentine dragon with a total length that exceeded one hundred metres. It was completely black in colour, but it also had gems on its body which released a silvery, shimmering glow. It had three eyes upon its head, with each of them also releasing a silver luminance.

" **I don't feel comfortable having Aži Dahāka outside. So let's this be swift fight."**

[Argeed.]

" **[ DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD DxD ! ] "**

Without the slightest hesitation, Apophis spewed out darkness from his mouth. Issei used a basic Dragon Shot to counterattack, but it was pushed back, and he was hit by Apophis' darkness. A portion of the time armour was melted, causing Issei to goan in pain.

 **[I told you so before. He is already Heavenly Dragon-class.]**

" **..No matter, it's not like my life is in danger."** An orange aura emerged from his body and healed the damage caused by Apophis's darkness. Also the time armor has been fixed, as if Issei was never hit by the darkness.

Apophis and Issei continued their direct confrontation with each other on the uninhabited island that was covered by a black barrier. Issei used basic abilities such as [Penetrate] with his punches and kicks, while Apophis manipulated the black water like a whip to counter his attacks. Every time Apophis landed a hit with his darkness, Issei always healed himself and repair his armor and his wings with ease.

Issei continue to attack with both physically and with Dragon Shots, while Apophis used his breath of darkness, barriers, and the manipulation of the black water to fight back.

 **[Issei, aren't you forgetting something?]**

" **It's time use it, huh?"**

 **[Blade!]**

Touching the ornate cross-guard, with a jewel embedded in the center, he ran his fingers across the runes filling the blade's fuller. He knew what the symbols meant, but he felt his finger tingle as he traced their lines. The balance of the weapon was impeccable. The metal of the carved guard, and dark ebony-bound hilt, balanced the thick, heavy blade efficiently. He gave it a few more swings, adjusting his stance to compensate for the weight of the sword, which seemed to become lighter as he became accustomed to it.

[That sword…]

" **This is the remodel version of Ascalon. The older version seems to flashy and weak, so I used Akatosh's power to remodel it. Made with the finest metal, it can kill a legendary Evil Dragon or scar a Heavenly Dragon with ease, with the right person to wield it of course."**

[What is it made of?]

" **Dragonbone. Dragonbone and Ebony. Oh I also enhanced the holy enchantment, making the sword more deadly, especially to the undead and dragons like yourself. I'll call it….[Dawnbreaker]."**

[How interesting! Let's finish this now, Sekiryuutei!] Apophis unleashed an extraordinarily large ball of darkness from his mouth. Even Issei would suffer immense damage, if he was hit by that in his current state. Luckily for him, his new sword [Dawnbreaker] is immune to the effects of darkness due to it holy component.

As the large ball is within range, he slice it in half, dispersing it, leaving him unscratched.

" **This is the end, Apophis."**

Issei sprints forward in god speed, and Apophis used many magic barriers to block the frontal assault, but it was no use as the sword proved too strong for it and land a blow towards Apophis's chest.

Apophis goan in pain. The enormous black Evil Dragon was lying in front of him, unable to move. The effects of [Dawnbreaker] made it suffered a large amount, with a wound that was made upon it's chest: due to him being an Evil Dragon, it was in a state where it was already beyond any kind of healing.

[…That was a splendid fight, Sekiryuutei…no, Hyoudou Issei. I was able to…fight with a hero like you, I feel deeply happy…ah, this is something that an Evil Dragon should be.]

" **You're clearly a dragon who would fight an honest duel with me, so why did you do something like this…"**

[Aži Dahāka and I are both Evil Dragons. The end of an Evil Dragon should arise from a direct confrontation with a hero, followed by their defeat. Only with this does an Evil Dragon's existence become complete. …That's why this is fine. A fight like Rizevim's without any glory is the lowest of the lowest…]

" **I see."**

[Who am I kidding? You didn't even try…I was more of a Guinea pig, to test out your new abilities, or should I say, alternatives? If you used the actual power of [Dragonbreak], then I'll should've been defeated in instant. You are saving up your strength, for Trihexa-sama correct?]

" **Yes."**

[Then you'll need my soul, and Aži Dahāka's.]

" **For being an honest dragon...I shall give you your last rites."**

[Last rites?]

" **Lahney ko paagluf, fah hi los nu malur do zey, dii suleyk."**

[...I see….I understand now. You and Trihexa….speak the lost language of the Dragons. Vonok, dovahkiin….]

-Line Break-

Apophis' body completely turn into bone as it's soul enter Issei's body. Cracks appeared in the sky, signalizing that he is returning to the capital of the Underworld.

When he returned, he immediately realized that Irina's life force is fading.

" **Shit!"**


	8. Truth, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Anncouer

 **"..."** -Issei in Dragonbreak form

 _ **A/N: What's up guys? Finally got the nerve to type the chapter; I've been extremely lazy the past few days, but the real reason why this chapter came out kinda late is because I continuously keep editing the chapter as I write it out, which is kinda a good thing? Unfortunately, I couldn't think of nothing else to make this chapter complete, so I decided to post it. Of course, if I need to add more information and add additional scenes, then I'll just edit the chapter. Before the chapter starts, I would like to clarify three things.**_

 _ **First, I am in the process of making a semi-sequel spin-off, but it is not confirmed yet.**_

 _ **The second thing I would like to clarify is how the Arcs are set up. Prologue (I) to Rise and Prevail (III?) is Arc 1 of this story. The semi-sequel might considered to be a bridge to the next arc. If it is confirmed, then the next question I have to give myself is 'should I make it as a chapter or a standalone fic?'.**_

 _ **Third, and least important, I kinda changed my writing style in this chapter. You guys might not notice it, but I decided: 'why the hell not, I'll learn much faster if I start using it in my fanfics'.**_

 _ **Don't forget to leave a review! Please?**_

* * *

Truth, Arc I

Her body is laid upon the cold ground of the Underworld, which is ironic because she is an angel. It caused her great pain to breathe, as there were injuries around her bosom and pretty much everywhere on her body. Every breath she took made her feel as if her throat was on fire; she could barely get enough oxygen and for every breath she took, her neck gets tighter and tighter. The cuts and wounds were fresh new, as blood oozed out of them and dripped towards the ground. She had a bitter taste of her own blood on her lips and she was burning hot from a severe fever. She can not move nor stand to limp away.

She cried out his name multiple times although it hurted her to talk; she prayed for his return; she wished, she hoped that he would come just in time to at least give one finale goodbye. She knew there was no way she can be saved because Asia, who had [Twilight Healing], had to go with the rest of [DxD], which had to relocate to a safer place for the battle.

Minutes passed by, then she starts to lose her sense of reality as she slowly die off in agony.

"...Ise-kun please…help…" she begged. At that moment, Irina had changed her resolve. She wanted to live, she wanted him to live and she wanted him more than anything else. Her will to live grew stronger and stronger as death drawed near.

"...I don't want to…die…!" she made an attempt to move her body in any way possible as she grew desperate. She let out her wings, which were badly damaged, and tried to fly away to safety. The wings flapped as hard as they could, but it had no effect. The cost in her effort to escape was more pain and more blood; the pain grew unbearable and she gave up. Irina finally realized it was too late to even save herself, with the injuries she had. Finally closing her teary eyes, the angel awaited death to claim her.

-Line Break-

A gust of wind suddenly blows upon her ravaged body.

She felt a warm presence coming towards her; a pair of hands touch the torn flesh and, somehow, the injury is recovering. Irina is shaking from the cold weather and suddenly, a blanket cover her body. He carefully placed his arms around her waist and neck, keeping her warm as she recovers. As she gain back her senses, the warm aura she is feeling is awfully familiar to the one she loves dearly. Her pain goes away at a fast rate; her blood somehow is being replenished. She finally got the nerve to open her eyes, and the first thing that got her attention is her savior, a maple-haired man in orange-red armor with 12 orange dragon wings on his back.

" **Irina…"** he called out her name in relief. She looked at his eyes, which were dark yellow. The color of his eyes reminded her of Xenovia's eyes, but his were more sinister looking and his pupils were barely visible. But despite that, Issei showed a sweet, loving, smile and Irina finally let her emotions out.

"Issei, Issei, Issei, Issei, Issei!" she cried out his name many times, as tears drip from her eyes and across her cheek. She holds him tighter and cries even louder than ever before. The maple-haired boy hugs her in response, rocking her back and forth like a child. Surprisingly, it made her clam; she places her head against his chest to hear his crooked heartbeat. Issei wipes her tears off her cheeks; his hand felt the smooth, tender and gentle face and his other hand felt the silky chestnut hair that still smells very pleasant. Issei let his own pervertedness take over for a few seconds, as he sniffs her hair; it gives him a weird tingling sensation in his chest, but also gives him some type of satisfaction and comfort. After a few seconds, he let go of her hair and focus his vision towards the angel.

" **I-"** Issei opens his mouth to say something, but literally at that moment, Irina kisses him before he could say anything. For a split second, he did nothing and let her continue kissing. Once again, his pervertedness got the best of him and he kisses her back. Issei enjoys the sweet kiss, the taste of iron mixed with her saliva excites him, as it gives him such a rush. He thrusts his tongue inside her mouth, which surprises Irina as her eyes widen due to the immense pleasure. She responds by entwining her tongue with his. After a few seconds, they finally broke the kiss, leaving a string of saliva that connects to their lips. Issei grins at her, which causes her to blush.

" **You know...this is the perfect scenery. The end of the world as we know it...and we're here, embracing each other. Hey Irina...not trying to sound dirty, but if we were regular humans, I would've fucked you right here, right now."** cooing into her ears, he then pulls her into another kiss. This time the kiss is more intense than before. He gently caresses her breast and ripe nipple, causes her to moan unintentionally due to the pleasure. Inhaling his carbon dioxide only made her more excited.

After finally letting go, Irina smacks him.

"Mou, you freaking jerk! After rescuing me, you attempted to do something ecchi!? In hell nonetheless, where I can easily fall! Plus we're at a time limit, Trihexa is probably causing more damage as we speak!" she pouted.

" **Well...it's not like you were resisting. Actually, it looked like you were enjoying it."** Issei jokingly said, laughing at the mad angel.

"Mou~ You have a fetish for girls that were in the blink of death!?"

" **No, not really."** Issei answered honestly.

"Well...we should head over to where the [DxD] are at. Hope they are okay…" Irina worried. Issei, who now has a serious face, leans in towards Irina.

" **Tell me, what exactly happened to you."** his voice had some venom, as if he was going to poison her. Irina looks down to avoid his stare as she timidly explains the situation.

"Unfortunately, Aži Dahāka thought it would be worth seeing you in despair, so he decided to disable me. Even as reinforcements came, Trihexa and Aži Dahāka were more than a match for them. To avoid further casualties, everyone decided to relocate to another place. Aži Dahāka, being the Evil Dragon it is, agreed to relocate with Trihexa, at the terms of leaving me here to die. Ravel, Xenovia, and Asia opposed the idea greatly, even offering to stay here with me. But Aži Dahāka said he would oppose the agreement if they stay or even heal me."

" **I'm sorry for everything that has happened to you. This is my fault."** he confessed. Irina's eyes widen in confusion.

"No Ise-kun, it wasn't your fault…"

" **Listen to me, darling. Before we go, I want to ask you a question."** he spoke with a very weak voice, which Irina noticed right away. Although blushing at his use of the term 'darling' for the first time, she nods and he continues.

" **I-Irina...do you know why I was aggressive a few minutes ago?"** he asked.

"Because you're a pervert?"

" **Well...that answer is correct, but not the answer I was looking for."**

"Then...why?"

" **...this is gonna hurt me more than anything else in my entire life...I fought and defeated Rizevim with this form. You know that using this form had caused me to passed out; I barely survived the after effects. This time, I'm really going to die."**

"-!?" Irina's face turns white as she heard the last part. Issei himself has trouble keeping his composure as he continues with his explanation.

" **If would have came one minute late, you would have been dead. I-I almost lost you; the fact of losing you is something unacceptable to me. It's my fault that you had to suffer like that. All because of my lust for power."**

"D-Don't worry! Ophis can shoulder the after effects!"

" **This isn't the power of Ophis. This is the power of her older brother, Akatosh the Dragon God of Time."**

"T-Then he can still shoulder the after effects! Right!?"

" **He could-"** Issei stops midway of his sentence.

" _Shit, I can't say he could shoulder the after effects in exchange of me not using the power anymore. I need that power to protect her and everyone else!"_ he thought.

" **He can't. I could just not go full power and avoid death, but I need this to defeat Trihexa."**

"N-No...Issei, I don't want to you die!"

" **Irina…"**

"Baka! Baka! You're an idiot! Why would you make a dumbass decision like that!? Why would you carry this burden alone if you had everyone to help you with it!? If you just sticked with us instead of going to Agreas on your own, your parents would've been still alive!"

In Issei's mind, this is punishment for abandoning his main objective. The very reason why he decided to go against Azazel and everyone else's plan, was for the very purpose to make a better future for his beloved childhood angel. For Ravel as well, for she helped Issei more times than he could count. When Apophis set up it's magic barrier, he thought in mere seconds he could defeat him and quickly come back to aid the [DxD], but because of his lust for battle and reconstructing [Ascalon] into [Dawnbreaker], he lost precious time, which almost resulted in a tragedy. A tragedy that would have costed him his sanity; if he came a minute late, Irina would have died and he would have activated [True Dragonbreak] in his anger, like his predecessors before.

" **Yes, I know that. But you didn't let me finish the rest of my story-"**

"Issei-kun, there's absolutely no way to heal you? Because if that is the case, then I'm going with you."

" **Irina don't lose your shit on me! I didn't finish yet, please...just please be quiet and listen. This is the most important thing I have to say."**

"Issei-kun…"

" **Do you honestly think I'll ever agree with Akatosh under those terms that I stated before? After I die, he will resurrect me."**

"Really!? C-Can you trust this Akatosh? How can you be certain?"

" **This power was enough to defeat all those Evil Dragons and Rizviem, how could I not trust him? Besides...I don't think he is the type to trick people if he himself rarely communicates with anybody, let alone Ophis and Great Red."**

"I don't know where this is going...how can I trust you on this situation?"

" **You are the only person that I told this information. Vali might know something about this, but you and you alone know the exact details. Isn't that enough?"**

"..."

" **Irina, after all of this...would you wait for me?"**

"Of course...I'll wait as long you promise me two things. One, don't ever hide things from me again. And two...marry me when you come back."


	9. Will to Fight, Arc I

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts

 **[...]** \- Ddraig/Sacred Gear

(...)-Author's note

[...]-Sirzechs's true form/Aži Dahāka

" **..."** -Issei's Dragonbreak

 **{...}** -Trihexa

" _ **..."**_ -Akatosh

 _ **{...}**_ -Hermaeus

 _ **A/N: Now that this fanfiction is getting more attention and heading further into unmarked territory, the amount of updates will extremely decrease. The reason why is simple: Quality is better than quantity. Every time I come up with a new chapter, I know what to write, but don't know how to write it. It takes me a week to come up with something to start off and in this chapter's case, it took me two weeks. Also, believe or not, there are times when I just don't feel like writing anything. I said it before, I'm lazy XD.**_

 _ **I was planning to finish Arc I in this chapter, but I think an epilogue is needed to conclude this Arc.**_

 _ **The semi-sequel that I was planning to bridge Arc I and Arc II is cancelled for another time. After this chapter, Arc II will begin. To make up for the cancellation of the semi-sequel, this chapter is going be longer than usual.**_

 _ **This chapter is more focused on the changes from the original LN than anything else. Most changes are mainly Issei, but there are also changes on how things will go on the battlefield and the outcome.**_

 _ **Actually, some parts of this chapter is inspired by The Last: Naruto The Movie.**_

 _ **Just a head's up, there is a section in this chapter that will introduce the two new main characters very briefly.**_

 _ **Some things in the chapter might be confusing or dissatisfying, so if you want, read the Afterward part at the end to help you guys understand a bit more. I used to do this back when I was still writing my first ever fic. Oh the memories...**_

 _ **Let's get the show on the road! Please don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

Will to Fight, Arc I

-Flashback-

(A/N: This is before the conversation with Irina at Prologue II, Arc I, Part 2.)

"Hello Issei-kun." Touji, the father of Irina, was standing near the Occult Research Club room.

" _Irina's Otou-chan? Why is he here? He actually rushed over all the way from England!?"_ Issei was surprised of his sudden visit. He never knew that he'll skip his job, just to come to his daughter's future career consultation.

"Isn't this to be expected? This is my cute daughter's future career consultation isn't it? As a father, of course I have to skip work and rush over." he said with pride.

"A-Are you sure this is okay for you to just suddenly skip work?"

"Don't worry! Michael-sama won't even notice!" Touji laughed heartily. Issei stare at him in suspicion, which made Touji sweatdrop.

"I give up, of course it was a joke. Something just came up in Japan so I rushed over." he confessed.

" _Why do I have a strange feeling that you just used that as an excuse to visit Irina?"_ Issei thought.

"Anyways, why the long face? Something happened?" Touji asked in concerned for him.

"Ah, nothing really happen."

"You can tell me Issei-kun. I am your father in law after all." Touji teased.

"Father in law?" he questioned.

"You do love Irina, correct?" Touji asked.

"Yes…?" Issei answered.

"Then I am your father in law. If you can not accept that, then-" Touji eyes suddenly turned dark as he released his Holy Sword and pointed at Issei.

"Hey, hey! Don't point that thing at me!" Issei fell onto the ground as his reaction to Touji's teasing.

"Ahahaha! It's just a joke! You don't have to get all worked up!" he laughed. Issei sweatdropped as he stood back up.

"You have a funny way of bonding with your 'son in law'." Issei criticized.

"Now, now. Don't get all fed up. With just seeing your reaction, something must be going on." Touji guessed right.

With Ravel's sudden disappearance after the Rating Game with the Champion, Issei had been restless. But, there was something more than that. Before her disappearance, Issei had a weird vision of an Orange dragon. Ever since then, he had been hearing whispers, telling him to 'break it'.

"Yes, there is something going on, but it's too complicated. Thinking about it makes my head hurt." Issei admitted. Touji rubbed his own chin as he tried to understand what Issei is going through.

"It is so complicated that you won't tell others?" Touji asked. Issei opened his mouth to speak, then he quickly closed it.

" _Irina did tried to comfort me...I promised her that I'll tell in time. But...am I willing to break that promise? If I do...what will happen?"_ he thought.

"You're facial expression is telling me you tried to. That's okay for now, but you're gonna have to tell somebody about your problems someday. You cannot keep this within yourself if it makes you suffer." Touji explained. Issei nod his head in agreement.

"The question is...who are you going to open up to?"

"I...don't know. I never gave much thought about it."

"Always know this Issei-kun, ever since we left to England, Irina has been constantly praying for you. When she realized you turned into a devil, her heart was broken. She told me that the teachings of the Church made her believe that she could never be with you. Regardless of that, she continued to pray and pray, believing that God will still give her and you a chance to be together."

"R-Really?" Issei doubted.

"I am not kidding. Actually, one day she snapped, cursing at God on how things turned out. Of course, as her dad, I can understand that. The teachings of the Church can sometimes be brutal, especially during these times."

"I didn't know she felt that way…"

"She loves you more than anything else, perhaps even more than God. That's why if something goes wrong in your life, you should open up to her first. I know about your relationship with Rias-san, but...I think Irina is more suitable for you because she knows you better than anyone else. Of course, this is all just my opinion, but you are going to have to think about the situation you're in sooner or later."

"..."

-Flashback Ends-

-Line Break-

"Do you really mean it Ise-kun?" Irina had her doubts on how honest he really was on his response. Her soft, gentle hands slowly touched his face and then she gently caressed his rough skin, which made him lean forward toward the hopeful angel and placed his forehead to overlap hers.

" **Of course, why would I lie?"** he giggled.

"Then you won't mind if I change my last name now?" she asked shly. Issei eyes widen when he imagined the sound of her first name with his last name.

" **Hyoudou Irina…"** he whispered it out loud, then she smiled a beautiful, caring smile to her new fiancé after hearing it. They finale snapped back into reality and got up after letting their minds wander long enough.

Irina staggered when she tried to get on her feet. She had to adjusting her movements after being numb for a long time.

" **Are you okay?"** he asked in concern for her.

"I'm okay thanks to you." she replied.

" **Are you sure?"**

"Yes. I'll be fine, just need to stretch my legs to get my blood flowing again."

Issei nodded and gave her some time to prepare herself. As she stretched, Issei couldn't help himself but stare at her.

" _It's a damn shame that she had spare clothes…what the hell am I thinking at a time like this?"_

" **Now that we are ready to go, do you know where the [DxD] and reinforcements went?"** Issei asked.

"...In the outskirts of Japan." she said and Issei facial expression turn distorted.

" _Out of all places...why the fuck…!"_ he thought.

" **Why would they go there…?"**

"I-I don't know...maybe Azazel-sensei is planning something...Oh! I remember Rossweisse-sensei saying something about sealing 666 using her formulas! Maybe they went to Japan because it gave them more room to actually use the seal!...maybe."

" **That's very vague. This doesn't add up..."**

"Ever since this entire situation started, nothing has been adding up. The death of your parents, 666 acting beyond our calculations, and now...you gonna have to sacrifice your life…"

" **Irina…"**

"What happens if you don't return within a year Issei-kun?"

" _That's a good question…"_ Issei thought hard as he tried to think of a answer. It made worried for a split second, realizing that Irina is emotionally weak, even if she does not know it yet; she could end up in a very bad situation if he doesn't return like he promised. Then his confidence returned, knowing that Akatosh isn't the type to betray.

" _I don't hear the whispers anymore, thanks to him. He saw something in me that he did not see in my predecessors of [Dragonbreak]. For that I-"_

" **You just gonna have trust in Akatosh and me to make sure that doesn't happen. Here, I want you to have this."** Issei pulled out something out of his [Boosted Gear] and handed it over to Irina. She inspects the object Issei had given to her.

"...A bracelet?"

" **I gave this to my first girlfriend, Raynare. For some odd reason...I kept it with me the entire time. Perhaps I kept it because, believe or not, I was somewhat thankful to her for bring me into the supernatural world. But now, I'm giving to you. This bracelet has the hatred and the smell of a shitty Fallen Angel. I want you to have this bracelet, to purify it and give it a new meaning. I want the bracelet to now have the love and the smell of a beautiful Angel."**

"Issei-kun…"

" **Irina, you are the redemption I sought for. I'm sorry for not paying any attention to you, I should've made you my girlfriend instead of Rias. But from this day forward, you are my precious wife."**

"Oh Issei-kun...I never knew you thought of me in that way...!"

" **D-Did I say something wrong!? I thought it sounded way cooler in my head…"**

"It's okay...you said everything right...I love you Issei!"

" **Yeah...I love you too. That smile of yours...now I can die a happy man. I can go all out without shedding a single tear."**

" _ **Issei, you have to stop them!"**_ Akatosh's voice interrupted their moment.

" **Huh?"**

" _ **Azazel, Micheal, Sirzechs and mostly all other faction leaders are planning to seal themselves with Trihexa! You must stop the process! All that life force you been saving up, it is time to use it! Destroy Trihexa, once and for all!"**_

" **Irina, we have to go, now!"** Issei grabbed her hand and started to run, pulling her with him.

"W-Wait! I-Issei-kun!"

" **Come on, let's go!"**

"Issei-kun! How are we going to get there, baka!? If you remembered, we are still in the underworld!" Irina shouted

" **Don't worry just keep going!"** Issei yelled, picking up Irina from her legs and held her body against his chest to gain more speed. Irina, not knowing what was going on, held on tightly to his chest armor as he ran in godspeed. Along their path was a teleportation magic circle with the crest of a hourglass.

They jumped, teleporting them to their comrades location.

-Line Break-

(Somewhere, in the Forgotten Valley of the Dimensional Gap…)

" _ **It has been a long time, Hermaeus…"**_

 _ **{This is unexpected. If it isn't my long lost brother, Akatosh, the mighty Dragon God of Time and Endurance. So tell me brother, why dwell here? Do you have a death wish?}**_

" _ **I could say the same thing to you, Hermaeus. As the Dragon God of Fate and Knowledge, you are certainty desperate."**_

 _ **{Of course I am.}**_

" _ **You are really a bothersome Dragon God."**_

 _ **{I've been watching this human named Hyoudou Issei, which you claim to be your new champion. I see your blood flowing through his veins. You sure he won't end up like the last ones?}**_

" _ **He is stronger, if not, more cautious than any of his predecessors."**_

 _ **{You sure do have a lot of faith in him, considering that he is going against Trihexa.}**_

" _ **Trihexa will die, once in for all. That thing has been-"**_

 _ **{Tell me Akatosh, why would you want Trihexa dead? What is it that you have against it?}**_

" _ **It killed my best friend."**_

 _ **{Really? Revenge?}**_

" _ **Yes, because 'he' was my friend, 'he' was the closest thing to a 'brother' for me and Trihexa took him away. You might think that me and Ophis are close, but that was a long time ago. She has forgotten me, and you're to busy snatching knowledge from other mortals and gods. 'He' was there when I needed comfort-"**_

 _ **{You've grown soft, Akatosh. Dragon Gods do not need comfort. Nor do we need friends. Hell, we don't even need each other.}**_

" _ **And that's why you have grown blind."**_

 _ **{Unfortunately for you, that human won't survive.}**_

" _ **I know."**_

 _ **{What? If you knew already, then why you still have a lot of confidence for that human?}**_

" _ **Stop calling him human. He is the [Red Diabolus Dragon of Time], if you don't like his title, then call him by his name."**_

 _ **{As you wish...so tell me, why you have so much confidence in Issei?}**_

" _ **We made a deal you see…"**_

 _ **{And what was that deal?}**_

" _ **Issei was never intended to do any of this. If time ran its original course, then he would use Ophis's power instead of mine. But because I saw the injustices in the realms of Earth, I decided to step in. Also it gave me the opportunity to revenge 'him'."**_

 _ **{That clearly doesn't explain-...oh...I see. You are planning to resurrect Issei and continue to use him as your champion. Smart.}**_

" _ **For the Dragon God of Knowledge, you sure are stupid."**_

 _ **{What did you call me, faggot? You know, if it wasn't for the entire universe blowing up, I would've fight you. But for the sake of sportsmanship, I decided on something you may like. Why not not let our two champions fight in our place? To see which one of us is the strongest and wisest.}**_

" _ **You don't mean…!"**_

 _ **{My champion will always be the first mortal to be gifted the dragon godblood. It is bound to happen Akatosh, even if I don't approve it...}**_

-Line Break-

[…Orya, don't you think that was a wonderful fight? …Don't worry, I'm an Evil Dragon. An extremely persistent dragon…]

Aži Dahāka's head began to crumble bit by bit.

[I will be resurrected again after some time…just wait about two, or three thousand years…I will definitely revive and find you for a fight…]

"…Yeah, I sincerely look forward to it. My worthy opponent, Aži Dahāka-" As Vali says his goodbyes to Aži Dahāka, Issei and Irina successfully teleport to the outskirts of Japan. Issei immediately finishes off Aži Dahāka with a single blow without any hesitation.

[Gah!...Unfortunately...it looks like I won't be...able to come back after all…] Bones start to fall towards the sea as Issei absorbs the Evil Dragon's soul.

There was a moment of silence while Issei consumes the soul.

" **...Where's everyone else?"** Issei asked Vali, finally breaking the silence.

"...not far from here. We're gonna finish this together, Issei."

Issei takes a look at Vali's new power up. A brand new Hakuryuukou with twelve jet-black wings. The armour was composed of silvery-white and jet-black tones, and part of it was also like the flesh of the Dragon of Supremacy. Its smooth and beautiful exterior was enough to cause one to fall into a daze simply by looking at it. With dense silver and black aura of the Hakuryuukou and Lucifer were radiated out from his entire body.

In the other hand, Vali took the chance to once again look at Issei's Dragonbreak, but this time in more detail. A brand new Sekiryuutei with twelve orange wings. When compared to Irina's and his own height, Issei appeared to be twice as tall. The armor was composed of red and orange tones, and part of it was also like the flesh of the Dragon of Domination. The jewels on the armor each had a different color and the entire armor was covered by the dense red and orange aura of the Sekiryuutei and Akatosh.

" _Akatosh, now that I'm here, how should we deal with Trihexa?"_

" _ **Idiot. Trihexa's core has several wings, correct? It is part dragon. You know the rest…"**_

" _W-Wait...I'm gonna have to eat that thing!?"_

" _ **I have decided to change the plan a bit. Your powers are growing thinner as we speak, and once it wears off, you will instantly die."**_

" _Yes, are you stating the obvious. But what will happen if I eat that thing's soul?"_

" _ **You'll only eat the dragon part of it, since Trihexa has the ability to split body parts. Once after that...I'll do the rest."**_

" _Do the rest?"_

" _ **Just hurry up and go!"**_

" _Alright, alright!"_

 **[Hey partner, why do I feel disregarded…?]**

" **I suppose our nakamas are waiting for our return."**

"The more we delay, the more likely Trihexa will be able to move again. Let's go."

* * *

Part 2

Upon considering the current situation, Sirzechs had already solidified his decision about sealing himself with his peerage and the faction leaders.

[...As I thought, that plan is necessary.]

"Even with our powers fully unleashed, we can do nothing to damage the core. We have to resolve to that plan." said Falbium.

Azazel and Michael along with their comadres nodded in agreement.

[Then it is time-]

 **{Rok lost daal!}** (T/N: He has returned!)

"Agah! Something made Trihexa excited! Rias, Rossweisse, and Sona! Prepare the sealing technique-"

 **{Bormah! Zu'u fen du hin kaal diist, ruz zu'u fen bo fah hi!}** (T/N: Akatosh! I will devour your champion first, then I will come for you!)

[It's moving again! Everyone prepare yourselves!]

 **{EEEEEEEEEEEE!}** Trihexa roared so loudly it made the earth shake and made tsunamis. Everyone braces for impact.

"Kyah!"

[Damn it...we almost had it too...what made it so angry?!]

" **Sorry for arriving so late."**

[Ise! Vali! Good, you both are here! Distract Trihexa as we prepare an 'counterattack'!]

" _He is choosing his words carefully..."_

[Ise! Stop zoning out! Go!]

As Issei moves forward to attack Trihexa, Irina pulls his arm and leans forward towards his lips.

A final kiss before departing.

"Keep your promise my dear husband…"

" **I will."**

" _I love you, Issei. So go forth my darling! Use that…that unrivalled and impossibly powerful attack so that everyone can see!"_

" **I kept you waiting...hi mal draaf!"** (T/N: You little shit.)

The humanoid being of light in front of him readied it's stance. Issei inhales the air and also readied his stance.

"Issei, what are you planning?"

" **Sorry Vali...this is my fight."**

In an instant, the two being silently vanished from their positions. A mid-air battle then begins! Trihexa's core gives birth to six wings from its back. They are the wings of a bird, dragon, bat, and various other beasts.

" _Bingo!...now I just have to find a way to eat that part of him...I wonder how…"_ he thought.

Issei charges directly at Trihexa while flying in mid-air, and sent the it flying backwards. The core fluttered in the air like a bird to correct its stance, and then flies towards him at high speed once again. Issei wanted to kick it as a counteroffensive, but the core's figure disappears from his vision in an instant, and it slides right behind him.

Issei ducks to avoid his attack, then counterattack by elbowing its stomach.

" _Now!"_

He then grabs the dragon wing of Trihexa and attempts in ripping it from it's body. Unfortunately, Trihexa quickly recovers and punches Issei with an insane amount of momentum, making him fly downwards towards the sea. It then launches several orbs at Issei, making sure he'll stay down.

" **Fuck…!"** Issei recovers quickly and manages to escape the explosion.

" **S-Since when you are able to use hand to hand combat!? No matter...I guess I could use 'that'..."** Issei readies his position again.

" **[ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] "**

Issei's jewels begins to generate a massive, dense and dangerous energy. The energy then turns into arua, as it surrounds him like some sort of cloak.

" **[Dragonification!] "**

" _S-Seriously, I have to thank Akatosh for instantly teaching me these abilities, because without them, I think I won't have enough confidence to complete my objective. Anyways, I will continue to use hand to hand to test out his regeneration. This cloak of heavy arua should suffice."_

Issei once again launches himself at Trihexa.

In defense, Trihexa also launches itself, bringing it's fist forward to gain maximum momentum and power.

Upon impact, Trihexa lands a blow to Issei's abdomen, which causes his armor to be release due to the insane amount of pain. Issei retreats and re equip his armor; Blood is spurting out from his mouth. But in exchange of that blow, Trihexa's arm was caught by the cloak known as [Dragonification], setting it on fire.

The fire however, is not a regular fire.

 **[Kukuku…so not only were you able to use Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames, the forbidden technique of the Sekiryuutei, but also manipulated the flames in your so called [Dragonification] technique. You baited Trihexa. Damn that Akatosh, he seems to know everything…]**

" _Are you jealous?"_

 **[Not really. I'm just glad, that's all.]**

Trihexa is being burnt by the flames as it spreads throughout it's body. The flames, which are burning through the core, did not show any signs of weakening. Although Trihexa is able to regenerate after being burnt to ashes, the flames showed no signs of disappearing.

" **This isn't enough….I need more."** even though the core in front of him is being burnt by Ddraig's flames, its fighting spirit did not cease.

 **[Only a monster with incredibly strong endurance and regenerative abilities would be able to stand up like that. Since it didn't instantaneously disintegrate the moment that it was touched by my flames, it could be described as a troublesome existence that is beyond even god-class beings.]**

[Ise-kun, that is enough! Stay right there!] Sirzechs flies to his side.

" **Sirzechs-sama…"**

[Regardless of whether we defeat it or seal it, either method is extremely time-consuming. And Trihexa will continue its destruction in the meantime. If that continues, the world will be completely destroyed. Our combat strength is also limited. Once, or twice, we may be able to hold it back, but there will come a day — when our strength is exhausted. Just like before, you saw what kind of a monster the opponent is, Ise-kun. It is a true monster that will completely regenerate no matter how you try to defeat it.]

" **That doesn't matter I still have my trump card."**

[Serafall, Falbium and I, as well as my peerage will depart from here to the 'Isolation Barrier Field' that was created by Azazel and the others specifically for use against Trihexa. We will also seal the original body and the core within that field. And be confined together with it. The higher ups of the other factions have also agreed to this plan. Azazel, Michael-dono, Odin-sama, Zeus-sama, and other gods will also implement this plan in their respective territories at the same time.]

" **Sirzechs-nii, you are not going anywhere. No** **one is going anywhere."**

[That is not for you to decide-]

" **It is. I have already given up my life to do this duty. There is no turning back for me."**

[Ise-kun, think of what you are deciding! What will happen to Rias-]

" **I'm sorry. But this is my fight. Stay back."**

[Ise-kun, don't make me have to use violence.]

" **This is…necessary. This might be the last time, Onii-sama."**

Issei looks forward towards the burning Trihexa.

 **{Isssseeeeeiiiii!}**

" _ **This is taking long enough! Issei, listen up! Trihexa will continue to regenerate until you have taken it's dragon part. Dragons are known to live for almost forever due to being able to come back after their physical body is been destroyed. The only person right now that can absorb a dragon's soul is you. Find a way to separate that Dragon part from Trihexa's core."**_

As Akatosh gives him the advice he needed, someone pats his back. When he turns around-

{Issei}

{Ise.}

It is the ghost of his father and mother .

" _Huh? Okaa-san, Otou-san? What-"_

{It's okay Issei. Let it all go. That anger you have been saving for so long...let it go.}

{It's okay honey...we are in a better place.}

{{Go forth and become the [Red Diablous Dragon of Time]!}}

The ghost disappears, leaving Issei emotional.

" **[ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] [ DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD! DxD DxD! ] "**

An large amount of energy suddenly burst out of Issei body. His life force is fading fast.

" **Oorrryaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"**

" **[Dawnbreaker] !"** He grips [Dawnbreaker] and charges in towards Trihexa.

" **[Time Blaser] !"** His twelve wings fires a dense mixture of Orange and Red aura, aiming at the dragon wing of Trihexa.

[Issei that's suicide-]

Then a huge explosion occurs when Issei's attack reached Trihexa

* * *

 _ **Afterward:**_

 _ **Sorry for that cliffhanger...**_

 _ **Okay, to those who like to skip chapters and find yourself reading this one, I'll sum up the changes that happen here that differs from the original LN:**_

 _ **-Akatosh became the source of Issei's [DxD] form instead of Ophis. Instead of calling it [DxD], I call it [Dragonbreak]**_

 _ **-Issei went alone to Agreas instead of going with the [DxD] team, which resulted him killing a bunch of evil dragons and absorbed them**_

 _ **-Issei's parents died**_

 _ **-Issei fell in love with Irina, making her the main girl instead of Rias**_

 _ **-Rizevim died by Vali's hand after Issei overpowered him**_

 _ **-Trihexa and Issei dies instead of faction leaders sealing themselves**_

 _ **There were some other changes as well, but the ones I stated above were the main ones.**_

 _ **Here are some things that some people might find dissatisfying or confusing:**_

 _ **Aži Dahāka- Some of you might accuse me for pulling that lazy move on Aži Dahāka. Yes, it was a lazy move I admit, but I think Vali should be the one to defeat Aži Dahāka after thinking about it for some time. To save time and move on from the original timeline, I decided to put that fight behind the scenes.**_

 _ **Harem- When I started the original fic, I had no idea if I wanted this story to be a harem or just focus on one girl; I was still asking myself that question until recently. I have now decided…. Although there will be some type of romance with other girls, this story will remain a love triangle between Issei, Irina and Ravel. Rias will no longer be the main girl, Irina stole the spot. What will happen to Rias's and the other girls relationship with Issei will be one of the main factors of Arc II.**_

 _ **Lemons- Although this Arc had romance, it wasn't near the extent that I wanted. That was to be expected because Issei and his love ones couldn't find themselves the time to develop their relationships due to the world being in danger. Expect at least two "moments" with the two heroines in Arc II.**_


	10. Trihexa's Bane, Arc I Final

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts

 **[...]** \- Ddraig/Albion/Sacred Gear

(...)-Author's note

" _ **..."**_ -Akatosh

 **{...}** -Trihexa

[...]-Sirzechs's true form

 _ **["..."]**_ \- ?

 _ **A/N: Hey guys! It's been awhile, hasn't it?**_

 _ **Do not worry, I have already started the first chapter of Arc II; Although it won't be coming out soon…**_

 _ **I still have a lot of documents from my failed fanfic projects in my deleted folder in google docs. Most of them have very useful scrap that I can reuse…so if you guys have ever read my older stories that I have abandoned, you might see something very familiar.**_

 _ **I am doing a QnA, depending on how much reviews I'll get before the next chapter, so if you like, please send me a PM or a leave a Review. The QnA will be part of next chapter's Author's Note.**_

 _ **Also in the next couple of weeks, I will be having a state test, which will most likely not impact my academic career, but still have to take it because of reasons that are to hard to explain. Thanks state governor and the board of education! So...don't expect another update soon. Maybe. It's highly unlikely.**_ _ **( ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º).**_

 _ **Because of the events that happened in Arc I, this chapter will have a little more comedic relief than usual.**_

 _ **Please don't forget to leave a review! Enjoy!**_

* * *

Trihexa's Bane, Arc I Epilogue

"Issei-kun, no!" Irina reached out her hand towards the raging Issei, who was about to impact the still burning Trihexa. Then an explosion occurred; the shockwaves of the explosion send everyone flying towards the durable, unbreakable shields that Rossweisse and other mages were reinforcing. With the sheer power of [Time Blaster] successfully hitting Trihexa's dragon wing and Issei's [Dawnbreaker] cutting it away from the body, the dragon's wing starts to fade away as Issei absorbs the power.

Issei went unconscious immediately after, due to the amount of power he used. But before he went unconscious, at the last moment before he consumed the power, he caught a glimpse of his childhood sweetheart, flying towards him with tears on her eyes; then he saw his friends, his rivals and his mentors heading towards them as well.

" _Till we meet again…"_

-Line Break-

When Issei opened his eyes, he found himself standing on platform with numerous symbols and words written in Dovahzul. Confused and dumbfounded, he began to walk a treacherous, unknown path. Among the path were visions of his past; Flashbacks of his first kiss with Rias, reuniting with Irina, and other various recent memories that lead up till now.

" _Driag...did I ever thanked you for all the things you have done?"_ he asked. There was no response from him. He sighed a lonely sigh and continued to walk the path, while immersing himself.

" _I have changed so much this past year; Seriously, I can not even call myself 'Issei' anymore at this point...from being a puny human to a freaking Dragon-Devil Demi-God in just one year…why me?"_

" _ **You must find that answer yourself."**_ Akatosh pointed it out. He appeared in front of Issei in his human form; In a form of a man, his orange hair was long, messy and loose with horns sticking out of his head. Wearing a orange cape and holding a time glass in his hand, he walked forward toward Issei.

" _ **The only way for you to find that answer is by experiencing and exploring the world, not as a human nor devil, but as a dovah, a dragon."**_ he further explained. The additional information made Issei lift his eyebrows, like a child who was given an unexpected gift from their parents.

" _You want me to think like a dragon?"_ asked Issei.

" _ **Not just any dragon, Issei; A wise dragon, who knows the ancient history, knowledge and experience. You can get all that, by exploring the unknown, forgotten world of dragons and do you as you see fit; to make your own choices."**_ said Akatosh.

The memories faded away and the path ahead disappeared, bring Issei back to the planform he started at. Akatosh, who is still in front of him, waved his hand in front of his face.

" _ **You can start again, you know? Do not be so hard on yourself…"**_ he reminded Issei.

" _Right...Wait, now that you are here, w-where am I...what happen?"_

" _ **Because of your sadness and anger after seeing the souls of your parents, you have reach to the maximum of your power and flew straight towards Trihexa. You are unconscious, but do not worry, I will finish the rest. Good job regardless, Issei."**_ Akatosh explained.

" _W-W-Wait a minute! I'm dead already?! But what about-"_

" _ **You are unconscious! Damn, are your ears working?"**_ yelled Akatosh in annoyance due to Issei's panicking.

" _S-S-Sorry…"_ he apologized _._

" _ **Anyways, I'll have you watch what happens next. Trihexa is still alive, but you have absorb his dragon powers, which is enough."**_

" _What are you going to do, now that I am unconscious?"_

" _ **I will be using your body."**_

" _What difference does it make?"_

" _ **A lot. Not only that I have many centuries of experience, but I also have a finishing move that can kill, if not, at least seal Trihexa. For good."**_

" _Trihexa is still Trihexa. Even if I did absorb his dragon part, he'll probably just regenerate it again."_

" _ **I know. Do you take me for an idiot?"**_

" _...N-No."_

" _ **His fate is sealed. I will be using that power you have just absorbed, but unfortunately, it will kill you in the process."**_

" _I was already prepared to die, but can you please explain on how you are going defeat Trihexa?"_ questioned Issei.

" _ **Catch me some slack, will ya? We are dealing with something that is stronger than me; Although he is strong, he is not smart, which is his biggest flaw. God of the bible managed to get him sealed, which makes Trihexa pretty brain dead. The only thing what's going through it's mind is destruction. That is it's weakness, it's lack of intellect and the obsession of destruction. In other worlds, you can think of Trihexa as a martial arts champion, who is addicted to crack."**_

" _Could you give me another example that make sense?"_

" _ **As long you understand the jist of it, then I will not need to give another example. Of course, that example is just a metaphor to give some comedic relief for you; In other words, my attempt to cheer you up."**_

" _Thanks? Anyways, I kinda understand what you said. Trihexa altogether might be an unstoppable force, but with it's core all alone..."_

" _ **Bingo. it's core is it's central hub or it's brain. Once you destroy the core, you can destroy the entire thing. Actually...I have made up my mind; I will make sure Trihexa will never walk the earth again. Although using my true power with your body can cause some consequences, I have already made preparations and did a deep analysis of your organs and skin."**_

" _W-What will happen to my body if you use it with your full power?…"_

" _ **After the time limit is up, it will turn into stone and shatter into tiny pieces."**_

" _Does it have to be that brutal!?"_

" _ **S-Sorry."**_

" _Seriously...whatever, as long you keep your end of the bargain."_

" _ **Guess it's time...But before I'll do my part...it is time to recognize you as a [Dragon Demi-God]."**_

" _A Dragon Demi-God? Was I not already one?"_

" _ **You have to be formally recognized by a [Dragon God].**_ _ **Even for dragons, the strongest and most noble are [Kings of Dragon], Dragon Kings. Beings that are even greater than [Kings] are [God of Dragons].**_ _**But, there**_ _ **are more powerful dragons that surpasses a Dragon King but not as much as a Dragon God, known as the [Heavenly Dragons]. But, a [Dragon Demi-God] is unique and only emerge once an era. [Dragon Demi-God] must be a descendant of a [Dragon God], or a [Dragon God] recognizes them as their champion."**_

" _This makes no sense…"_

" _ **It does not matter. Stand where you are, Issei. Do not be alarmed."**_

As Akatosh turns into his true form and flies above Issei, he looks around and his past Senpais, who were both the predecessors of the [Boosted Gear] and Akatosh's [Dragonbreak], gather around him. Among them are Elsha, Belzard and Saint George. The predecessors of the [Boosted Gear] wears a red aura around their bodies; the predecessors of [Dragonbreak] wears a similar aura, but instead of red, they wear an orange aura.

"Hyoudou Issei, you have promised us Sekiryuuteis that _we_ will create a future. You have fulfilled what has never been done before and you have made us see something that is beyond our imagination. For that, we Sekiryuutei, who have been temporarily revived by Akatosh, will gladly participate in this 'ritual'. You have our respect, our love, and our faith." said Belzard, who represented the Sekiryuuteis.

"Hyoudou Issei, I might not know you personally, but you have also showed us something. For that, we, the users of [Dragonbreak], will participate as well. From the bottom of my heart, I, Saint George, thank you." said Saint George, who represented the users of [Dragonbreak].

" _ **Join us Draig, do not be a stranger."**_

 **[Issei, you bastard…! I can not believe this! You are too selfish!]**

" _ **Wipe your tears, Draig, he will be gone temporarily."**_

 **[You better tell the truth, you shitty Dragon God!]**

" _ **Now that we all here, let us recite the chant**_. _**Speak in the Ancient Dragon tongue. Everyone repeat after me:"**_

" _[_ _ **Lingrah krosis saraan Strundu'ul, voth nid balaan klov praan nau. Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu Ysmir, Dovahsebrom. Dahmaan daar rok**_ _]_ "

(T/N: Long has the Storm Crown languished with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our breath we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of old. You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North. Hearken to it.)

-Line Break-

A crew of emergency medics took Issei's body to a nearby safe location; Rias, Akeno and the rest of his female companions followed them.

"Please tell me that he is going to be alright!?" cried Rias. The medics looked at each other and nodded their heads slowly; one medic spoke out:

"It is impossible to save him. He's already dead…"

"N-No! You haven't even tried yet! How could you say such a thing!?"

"I am sorry Rias-sama...that is the truth. His body is cold to the touch...and he is not even breathing."

"Impossible! His body can't get that cold in just a matter of seconds! Let me through, let me see him! I command you!" Rias's arua arose from her body as she walked towards Issei.

When she saw his body, she could not believe what the medics said was true.

"Rias-sama, his organs are severely damaged, they are beyond repair…"

For a moment, everyone didn't know what this meant.

Vali and his team also came rushing from the battlefield, just to see Issei.

"Where's is he?" Vali asked. The doctors pointed their fingers at Issei. Vali went towards him and Albion spoke:

 **[Driag?** **Why are you crying?]** The white dragon asked.

 **[...Albion...he's dead.]** Upon hearing those words, Vali dropped lifelessly onto his knees and hit the ground.

"…..You fucking idiot….!"

With the words Vali's let out, they started to realise what happened. Akeno sat on the spot lifelessly. Rias went into a daze while staring at his body.

"…Ise-san?" Asia went rushing to his side, calling out his name, while using [Twilight Healing] repeatedly, trying to heal his lifeless body.

Ravel hugged onto Koneko who wasn't showing any reaction and she started to shake her head really hard, denying the fact that her unreplaceable upperclassman is truly gone. Kuroka hugged the two underclassmen, trying to cheer up them up, but it was hard for her to not cry like rest.

Bikou and Arthur bowed their heads down in respect for Issei.

Le Fay held onto her older brother.

"….You are not fair, Ise-kun. How can you die a second time…?" Kiba cried.

Irina stood silently behind everyone else, holding the bracelet that Issei had given her. Unexpectedly, Xenovia came up to her while having tears on her eyes.

"Irina...you…"

Irina didn't know what to do, or what to say. She stepped back a bit every time Xenovia came closer to her.

"Irina, are you hiding something from us?" Xenovia asked.

Irina did not respond.

-Line Break-

 **[...Draig.]** Albion called out to his rival.

 **[...]** He did not respond.

 **[...Vali. Do you think Issei was a good Sekiryuutei?]** The White dragon asked his host.

"...To me, he is the best rival I could have ever ask for." Vali responded truthfully.

 **[Is he more than a rival to you?]**

"He was...like a brother to me. I...I wish we could've hang out more often…"

 **[Albion.]** Draig finally spoke.

 **[Draig...what will you do now?]**

 **[I...will avenge his death.]**

 **[...]** Albion was speechless. He had never seen Draig act like this, even during their battle many years ago.

 **[...this isn't over yet, Albion. Ise had purposely sacrificed himself.]**

 **[W-What!?]**

"...! Why!?"

 **[It is the only to truly defeat Trihexa.]**

 **[What? What does that mean?]**

 **[...]** Draig remained silent once again.

"Give us an explanation, Draig!" Vali shook Issei's body repeatedly. Asia, who heard the entire conversation, grab Issei's other arm.

"Draig, please, tell us!" she cried.

 _ **["Here in my shrine,  
that they have forgotten,**_

 _ **here do I toil,  
that you might remember…"]**_

All of the sudden, those words came out of Issei's mouth. Vali and Asia stop shaking his body. He immediately sat up, which cause Asia to hug his arm in response.

"Ise-san!" Asia cried out his name in joy.

 _ **["by night I reclaim,  
what faithless minds have stolen,  
far from yourself...**_

 _ **I grow ever near to you…"]**_

"Asia, there's something wrong with him. Those words he's chanting..." Vali warned.

"I don't care, I won't leave him, ever again!" Asia protested, strengthening her grip on his arm.

"Come on, Ise-san! Let's go home together! With Rias-san, Akeno-san, Koneko-san and everyone else!" Asia tried to convince him, but her pleas lie on deaf ears.

 _ **["Your eyes once were blinded,  
now through me do you see...  
you hands once were idle,  
now through them do I speak..."]**_

He stood up while chanting the last few words.

 _ **["And when the world shall listen,  
and when the world shall see,  
and when the world remembers,**_

 _ **that world shall cease to be!"]**_

 _ **["[True Dragonbreak]!"]**_

* * *

Part 2

*Issei POV*

" _Wait a second! I thought you said that technique was forbidden!"_ Issei yelled at Akatosh.

" _ **For you it is...have you forgotten about what I said? I have the experience that you don't have. Now watch closely, for you are starting your training right now. Learn and master these technique, expect [True Dragonbreak] of course."**_

" _Why I can not use [True Dragonbreak]?"_ asked Issei.

" _ **I told you already, t**_ _ **he outcome is random; In some cases, things go back to what they are before the [True Dragonbreak] activates, but everyone will forget your existence. That is, if the person who uses it was not trained. The purpose of [True Dragonbreak] is too actually temporarily have the power that tremendously surpasses [Dragon God]. Think of it as Juggernaut Drive...without the crazy armor."**_

" _Okay...so how long?"_

" _ **How long what?"**_

" _How long would I need to train to gain [True Dragonbreak]?"_

" _ **...Thousands of years. At least. Depends."**_

" _Did you actually told this information to my predecessors?"_

" _ **No...none of them never actually got the chance to even speak to me directly. You are the first. That's why...I value you alot."**_

" _...I see. Wait a sec, what the fuck is wrong with my face? And my hair?"_

" _ **I told you, I am temporarily using your body. Oh also, the reason why your body will explode into tiny pieces is because the aftermath of [True Dragonbreak]. Your body isn't adjust to it…"**_

" _That explains it."_

-Line Break-

He finished his chant.

His wounded body, all of the sudden, was healed completely. His reddish-orange aura turn into a darker, more sinister orange color. His original messy maple hair turn orange, with horns sticking out of his head, shoulders, chin, elbows and his nails grow into claws.

"...Ise-san-"

In just a millisecond, he had disappeared into thin air.

 **[What speed! That power…! I'm actually fucking shaking!]** Albion shouted in fear, not expecting the turn of events.

"Hey, you two! You're not supposed to- Wait, where did Mr. Hyoudou go? Actually, better question is...how is he able to move?" The doctor asked.

""..."" Asia and Vali couldn't respond.

"Since when he disappeared!?" The medics realized that his body is no longer there.

Everyone went into a state of panic.

-Line Break-

""""""All members of Lucifer's peerage have assembled.""""""

[How are the places outside of the barrier doing?]

Sirzechs's [Bishop] MacGregor Mathers reported

"There are signs that the Trihexa outside is beginning to move again."

[We need to implement the plan. Is this okay?]

Everyone nodded. Grayfia and everyone else all understood Sirzechs's thoughts, and agreed. Suddenly, Sirzechs called out to Grayfia.

[—Grayfia]

Sirzechs faced Grayfia, who lifted her head, and then created a magic circle which released some kind of technique towards her.

"—Huh!? Sirzechs-sama, what are you trying to do!?"

[This is the special hypnosis technique that Azazel taught me. I thought that it would be useful on you.]

"…W-Why would you do such a thing…!"

Grayfia crept closer to Sirzechs. The hypnosis technique had already taken effect, and her eyelids slowly drooped. Sirzechs was currently the incarnation of destruction. He originally wanted to hug Grayfia , but when he noticed his own form, he retracted the hand that he had extended. Facing his [Queen] and wife who was gradually falling asleep, Sirzechs said:

[I'm sorry, Grayfia. I hope that you can remain here.]

"…You…really are…too cunning, Sirzechs…! …We clearly swore…that we would be together forever…!"

[For Millicas, in the days ahead of him…a haha is necessary.]

"…That child…actually, towards you…Sir…zechs…"

Grayfia fell asleep due to the magic Sirzechs used. He took one last look at his wife before he activated the barrier. Somebody patted his shoulder; he suspected it was one of his peerage members, but when he turned around:

 _ **["I Disagree with you Sirzechs. A father is also needed in the days ahead of him."]**_

[Ise!?]

 _ **["I am not Issei. I am Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time. Issei is long gone, but I will finish what he started."]**_

[W-What are you talking about!? How were you able to touch me without getting burned?]

 _ **["..."]**_

[Ise...it is okay. We are going deal with Trihexa.]

 _ **["Do you take me for an idiot? The 'Isolation Barrier Field' that was created by Azazel and the others, will not truly defeat Trihexa. That plan is futile, because the core is it's weakness. It will take ten thousands years to defeat that thing in it's original body."]**_

[...We are fully prepare.]

 _ **["You are helpless. Just let me, a [Dragon God], handle this."]**_

 **{Bormah!}** (T/N: Akatosh!)

 _ **[**_ " _ **I have to thank you Trihexa, for giving me this opportunity. Unfortunately, I have limited time, so let me just kill you."]**_

Akatosh released his 12 wings and ready his fighting staus.

 _ **["Oh, but before I do...hey Driag! How do you use the [Boosted Gear]?"**_ The Dragon God asked.

 **[You're telling me this now!?]**

 _ **["Yes?"]**_

 **[You shitty Dragon-God! Fine, for the sake of avenging Issei. The way you use the [Boosted Gear] is like every average Sacred Gear.]**

 _ **["..."]**_ Akatosh was confused in Driag's explanation.

 **[Are you fucking kidding!? Just use your will!]** Driag roared in annoyance.

 _ **["Oh, I see. Boosted Gear!"]**_

 **[Boost!]** An orange gauntlet appeared in his right arm.

 _ **["The [Boosted Gear] can double the wielder's power every ten seconds...oh, If I boost too much, the earth might end up getting destroyed. Looks like I need to take Trihexa's core to outer space. Yeah, that's a good idea! I can use my super move on him there!"]**_

 **[...I have putten my faith on a child.]**

 **{Bormah!}**

" _ **Let's go!"**_

In just a matter of milliseconds, the still burning Trihexa just got kicked in face by Akatosh. The angle of his feet caused Trihexa to fly upwards towards the outer atmosphere.

Akatosh flew up, knowing that the kick is barely enough to injure Trihexa. In few seconds, Trihexa had already recovered, but it was not enough. Akatosh use the momentum of his fist and speed to punch Trihexa, causing it to fly even further away from earth.

 _ **["This should be enough."]**_ Akatosh was satisfied.

 **[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!]** the announcer roared in fury.

The massive amounts of energy began to make the sun a bit more hotter than usual.

Akatosh outstretch his arms and put them together.

" _**[" Longinus Sniper! "] "**_ (A/N: Longinus Sniper is an degraded version of Longinus Smasher. When Akatosh put his two hands together, it fires a more powerful energy attack. It can be also used in both hands, repeatedly firing many energy blasts. Think of it as the Kamehameha wave in DB. I know, it sounds corny, but Highschool DxD has a lot of references from DB, soo…)

The orange energy wave that was released from his hands pierce Trihexa's chest, making a hole. Unfortunately, Trihexa's ability to heal instantaneously had already closed the hole.

 _ **["Damn. Looks like I pissed it off! I still have two aces in my boot, so go ahead and do your worst, you ugly fuck!"]**_ Akatosh childishly said.

 **[You...are insane.]**

 **{EEEEEeEEEEeEEEEEEeEEeEEEEEEEEEEeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeEEEEEEEEEeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeEeEeEEEEEEEEEeeE!}**

Trihexa had finally had enough, opening his mouth. Matter spewed out of his body, then it focuses to make the matter go into the center. The matter turned into a ball, which Trihexa compresses it and eat it. (A/N: Tailed Beast Bomb!)

 _ **["You...are truly an idiot."]**_

 **[Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide! (100x)]**

Although Akatosh divided many times, the attack is still powerful enough to destroy the earth.

 **{GAHHHHHHHHHhHHHHHHHHH!}** It fired a black beam towards him.

 **[Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect!]** The black beam was reflected back to Trihexa. Trihexa dodge the attack, knowing that the blast of it's own attack could cause some permanent damage.

 **[Akatosh...how did you use the White Dragons Emperor's abilities?]**

 _ **["This is Issei's body after all. I'm just using whatever tools I have in my procession. Without it, this could've been a hairy fight. Now it is time the finale."]**_

Akatosh prefromes various hand symbols to activate his final move. (A/N: Okay, no more references from other animes.)

 _ **["Unfortunately, I do not process my bow, but my energy should suffice."]**_ After completing his final hand symbol, he shoots an energy blast towards the sun.

" _**[" Dividing Dragon Fairy! "]**_ " Akatosh shouted.

All of the sudden, the sun started to shine more brighter. It then starts to produce various solar dragons; Chinese Dragons, Western Dragons, Eastern Dragons and even some weird Dragons that awfully look similar to Great Red.

" _**[" Compression Multiplier! "] "**_ (A/N: An enhanced version of Transfer. It gives a huge amount of power to an object or person; without deactivating it, the person or object will go over their limits and blow up.)

" _**[" Full Dimension! "] "**_ (A/N: Multiply the size of objects and living beings around the user.)

Akatosh increased the solar dragons power and size to the max.

 _ **["These moves are inspired by Driag and Albion. You not leaving here alive, Trihexa. I would make sure I will use every second to make you disappear from existence."]**_

 **[Akatosh, isn't this too much power?]**

 _ **["Like I said before...I don't have much time…"]**_ Akatosh said.

 **{Bormah!}** Trihexa continues to scream in agony. The flames from the earlier attacks were gone, but it knew it was time to become one again. It called out to his parts that were still in earth.

 _ **["Adios, maldito. Qué tu espíritu vas a un lugar que te nunca encontrar país. Jeez, my spanish is terrible. Go forth, solar dragons!"]**_ Akatosh pointed his finger towards Trihexa. The solar dragons went forth, kamikazing themselves into it.

After a endless wave of solar dragons blew themselves up, Akatosh went forward towards the still regenerating Trihexa. He headbutted it's chest, driving it towards the only source of power that can finally end the [Evil Dragon Campaign].

The sun.

-Line Break-

"Hey, Sirzechs-sama...what just happened?" asked one of his peerage members.

[...I-] In the middle of speaking, the other parts of Trihexa flew towards the skies, in an attempt to reunite with it's major core.

But it was too late, for the sun shined so brightly, that it looked like a supernova was about to occur.

The remaining parts of Trihexa fell towards the oceans, lifelessly.

[Did we...just won?] Sirzechs was dumbfounded.

"E-Everyone! Immediately seal the remaining parts of Trihexa!" other forces from various of factions came to the battlefield, deploying their forces to use their best sealing techniques on the corpses of Trihexa.

"Onii-sama!" Rias called out to her older brother. Not only Issei's peerage came, but the rest [DxD] came along as well.

[Rias!]

"Where's Ise!?"

[...I don't know. But I reckon he is above the skies. Rias...did he just saved the entire world?]

"I-I don't know...Vali and Asia told me that he was acting weird…"

"That silly bastard actually did it!" Azazel was already celebrating, hugging onto Michael, who was shedding tears. Everyone began to cheer and celebrate as well. The Norse gods and Greek gods celebrated along with the three factions.

-Line Break-

*A few days later…

Ra, the God of the Sun from the Egyptian mythology, has taken a one day vacation from fighting the darkness. He came to the Underworld, as a VIP, to speak to the other mythologies about what to do next in the supernatural world.

"Ah, Ra, welcome!" Sirzechs greeted him with glee.

"Sirzechs...I have very important news I need to share. Unfortunately, I could not tell you in time because of the darkness. But this is so important, that I left Raet Tawy, the female counterpart of me, to fight the darkness today." Ra explained.

"I-I see. Tell us this 'news' you speak of." Odin, the chief god of Norse mythology, and the other gods and representatives were interested.

"It was a battle so great, that I could have never believe it, if I haven't seen it with my own eyes…"

End of Arc I


	11. Unexpected Farewell, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 ** _"..."_** -Akatosh

 _ **A/N: Yo! Welcome to the first chapter of Arc II!**_

 _ **Sorry for the delay of the chapter; I have been busy with school for the past month, and I did not have any motivation to write, due to finals.**_

 _ **This chapter, unlike before, will have its own title.**_

 _ **I will be using vol.22 as a major source; this is a one year skip from vol.22, which means the World Rating Game Tournament is about to end, and other ceremonies are about to commence. I was planning to have this chapter to be longer, but I have delayed it for far too long.**_

 _ **My school year ends on the 26th of June. I am planning to have my one-year anniversary special around July. No promises though.**_

 _ **And thus, we shall begin the unpredictable journey...**_

 _ **Don't forget to leave a review!**_

 _ **Arc II summary~**_ A year has gone by since the [Evil Dragon] campaign. With RGWT ending and graduation ceremony drawing near, Issei returns. He finds out that most of friends had moved on, with the exception of his soon to be wife, Irina. Unexpectedly, Issei will be caught in the middle of an upcoming war, which will require him, once again, to bring peace...by any means necessary. (AU) [Arc II]

 **Story so far…:** Issei Hyoudou had sacrificed himself for the benefit of humankind and supernatural kind, with the help of his new mentor, Akatosh the Dragon-God of Time. A year has passed since then...

* * *

Unexpected Farewell, Arc II

It was a few days before the Graduation Ceremony for the third year students, which consisted of Asia, Xenovia, Irina, Kiba and some others. It was the first anniversary of the conclusion of the [Evil Dragon Campaign], which resulted in the sacrifice of Hyoudou Issei and the deaths of others who died during the chaos. That day was reserved as a holiday in the supernatural world to remember those who fought bravely to successfully prevent the disaster.

Michael, the leader of the Angels, had given Issei the title of Saint, which made Issei the first ever devil to be given such a holy title. Many Angels at first disagreed with the decision because he was still a Devil, but they quickly accepted it. Unfortunately, due to traditions, the members of the church were not told this information.

Sirzechs and Azazel made a statue of Issei in the capital of Lilith. Many Civilians and other residents came to visit the statue and paid their respects to their hero and savior. Low Class Devils, Mid Class Devils, High Class Devils, and Ultimate Class Devils, no matter their rank in the Devil society, came together and left gifts like flowers and 'Oppai Dragon Action Figures' to honor his sacrifice.

The statue itself was made out of ebony, one of the rarest and most expensive material in the underworld.

-Line Break-

(Two weeks before the first anniversary the [Evil Dragon Campaign])

"Hades-sama, we have finally located Euclid Lucifuge. He is in one of the most notorious and most unbreakable facilities in the Underworld. The facility is under maximum security and heavily guarded by High-Class Devils and Ultimate-Class Devils, even the Devil Kings visit the prison frequently." reported a Grim Reaper, who was out of breath. Hades, the God of Death of the Greek mythology, grin upon hearing the information he had just received. He stood up from his throne and walked towards the Grim Reaper, with a large sum amount of 'souls' on his hands.

"Excellent! Thank you for bring the intel, back alive nonetheless." Hades complimented the Grim Reaper, for not only on his success on infiltrating the facility, but coming back alive with the intel and only a few scrapes. Hades gave the reward to him for compensation.

"T-Thank you, milord! B-But...this is more than we agree upon…" The Grim Reaper stuttered, fearing that his reminder might cause Hades to take back the extra 'souls' or worse, anger him.

"Yes, it is, but you have proven yourself worthy and useful; two things that I rarely see in any of my subordinates and followers. So, I decided to extend your reward; infiltrating one of the most dangerous and inescapable places of the Underworld, getting the intel, and coming back alive...that is something I can not ignore. To be honest, I thought you will be dead. Anyways, before we talk about anything else, I most give you another contract."

"Another?" The Grim Reaper raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Yes, another. This involves in my current operation, and it is the biggest yet. Before I tell you any more details, accept this contact. Your reward will be an immediate promotion and, as always, a large sum of 'souls'."

"I-I accept this generous offer, my liege." The Grim Reaper bowed.

"Good. We will do the ceremony later, for I need you to make haste to the deepest part of the Underworld: The Cocytus." Hades said.

"What!?" The Grim Reaper could not hide his surprise; it was the last thing he had on his mind.

"I'll explain your mission: In Cocytus, there are two beings that I must set free, in able to continue the operation. Kokabiel of the Fallen Angels, and Samael, the half-breed Dragon and Fallen Angel. I want you to command a team of lesser Grim Reapers and build an excavation and unseal them both."

"Why would you want those two, milord?" the Grim Reaper asked hesitantly.

"I require their assistance. That's all I can tell you for now, I said too much already."

"Forgive me, milord."

"Although, I suspect that Kokabiel will not cooperate with us. The same goes for Euclid Lucifuge, since both of them believe in supremacy in their races, and will likely fight each other. I do not know about Samael...oh well, it doesn't matter in the end. The fact that I have _her_ at my side...they won't be able to resist on what I have to offer…"

"If you don't me asking, my liege...what are you going to offer them?"

"War."

-Line Break-

(A/N: Back to the present.)

During the Holiday, most of the ORC members decided not to go to school, but instead they met at the old school building.

Asia, who is the current President of ORC, is sitting on her seat thinking about her future plans as a Mid-Class devil. Her thumbs twiddled on the president's desk, due to feeling of desperation. In a few days, the graduation ceremony will be upon her, and the Occult Research Club will have no President. Kiba, the Vice-President of ORC, came up to her to hand in his report.

"Asia-buchou, are you okay? You seem to be zoning out." Kiba shared his concerns when he gave her the report.

"Ah? Oh, yes...um, thank you, Kiba-san." she thanked him politely and took the folder from his hands. She opened the folder and skim through the words.

"The graduation ceremony is coming in a few days. I still have not chosen a successor for the club." the blonde ex-nun sighed in exhaustion.

"Honestly in my opinion, the only cadiente that can shoulder the responsibilities as President, is Ravel..." Kiba suggested.

"Me?" in surprise, Ravel pointed her finger at herself.

"Well yes, you did a wonderful job in organizing events for the club when Asia is busy with her devil jobs. Also, believe or not, you're actually the smartest junior I know. I think you'll be a perfect president for the current and new club members." Kiba said truthfully.

"I-I see. Well then, Ravel shall be President, and since Koneko works very excellent with her, she shall be Vice-President." Asia agreed.

"T-Then...I'll be honored to be the next President." "Same goes for me." Ravel and Koneko said in agreement.

"Then, it is settled...you guys will start in the beginning of next school year, but I advise you to start preparing now. Being President and Vice-President is not easy...right Kiba?"

"Fufufu, that's right. You guys should start finding ways to promote the club."

* * *

Part 2

Rows upon rows of endless mountain ranges.

Blizzards so severe that it can skin you alive before freezing to death.

Among other extreme conditions, there was a temple, dedicated to a certain Dragon God.

The Forgotten Valley is an isolated region, deep within the unknown depths of the Dimensional Gap, which was once inhabited by the Ancient, now extinct Snow Dragons. The existence of the Forgotten Valley is, and will never be revealed to those outside of the region. Even if some poor soul stumble upon it, they will die in the most horrible ways. If the weather can not kill them, then the indigenous, bloodthirsty creatures will, and they have a taste for anything, even for Angels, Devils and Fallen Angels.

Perfect place for the single sane inhabitant to train, recover and meditate. In the most ridiculous ways possible.

"...Fuck." he cussed in agonizing pain, holding his palm out and stretching his fingers. He maintained this position while sitting down on a rock, for five straight days, without sleep.

" _ **Patience, Issei. Materialize the natural energy of the Dragon, and to use the life force around you. Then project it into a sphere, and if you can, multiple spheres."**_ Akatosh advised him. He sat in his human form next to Issei, drinking some hot, steamy beverage that can knock out a veteran alcoholic in a mere second upon sipping on it.

"..." Issei remained silent, doing what Akatosh had instructed him to do. He calmed down and regain his patience, although he could not do anything but ignore the pain.

" _ **I will go over the reason why you need this training, Issei. You need to learn how to tell the difference between using the [Boosted Gear], and your own powers. Hell, it took you 3 months to start materializing the energy within you."**_ Akatosh reminded Issei.

The ball of energy appeared in Issei's hand within seconds after the Dragon God gave his small lecture.

" _ **See? It was not that difficult, was it?"**_ the tipsy dragon god attempted to lighten his mood, but it failed.

"..." Issei dismatedialized the energy orbs and stood up.

"Akatosh, I think it's time." he finally spoken, going straight to the point.

Akatosh sighed in response, not for Issei's impatience and eagerness to return back to his world, but as if he wanted to say something very important...

" _ **It has been almost a year since you departed from your friends. I, as well, think it is time for you to return. You're training is complete."**_ the Dragon God said.

"Really? I thought you had more to teach me."

" _ **Say Issei, why don't we have a chat?"**_ Akatosh dogged the question with another question, hoping to get his pupil's attention for a few minutes before departing. It worked.

"Chat about what?" Issei curiously asked. Akatosh narrowed his eyes to the scenery behind Issei, as he gather his thoughts.

" _ **You, and how much you have grown."**_ he said.

"How much I've grown?"

" _ **Damnit Issei, even after a year's training, even I cannot fix your density. At least you are not much of a pervert, but I digress, since, well...you're planning to 'that' with Irina, right?"**_ Akatosh clucked. Issei sucked his teeth in annoyance, slightly blushing at what Akatosh just said.

"W-Whatever, you idiot Dragon God."

" _ **Fufufufu, sometimes even I forget, that you're only a teenager. Your maturity has grown exponentially this past year."**_ Akatosh praised him.

"...I guess."

" _ **Come, sit next to me. I already prepare a meal for you; You can eat while I ramble about your past."**_

"Not really hungry…"

" _ **Don't be stubborn, I can hear your stomach grumbling."**_

"Fine, I guess a bite or two won't hurt." Issei finally agreed, sitting next to Akatosh. A plate of delicious food and cup of hot water magically appeared in front of the young Dragon Demi-God, then he took his first bite.

The next second, Issei starts digging in, repeatedly drinking and eating.

" _ **Thus, I shall begin the tale of a young, ambitious prevert by the name of Hyoudou Issei."**_

" _ **Hyoudou Issei became a Devil two years ago, and he was dragged into a battle against the Fallen Angels immediately, and experienced the Rating Game. Then, he encountered the incident involving the possession of Excalibur without a moment to spare, where he met one of the leaders of the Fallen Angels and at the end even the Governor. During that time, he reunited with his childhood sweetheart, although back then, she probably wanted to cut of his penis in the name of the almighty god."**_

"That detail is unnecessary, and not true."

" _ **After that, he witnessed the signing of the Alliance of the Three Great Powers up close and even survived the experience of Juggernaut Drive. He was attacked by the Evil God Loki and Fenrir when it has or hasn't been 6 months since he reincarnated into a Devil. He fought the man who wields the strongest Longinus during his school field trip. He conquered the Rating Game of the Underworld's Youth and then promoted a Mid-class Devil; what a shitty society, promoting him to only a Mid-Class."**_

"...I agree with you on that one."

" _ **At the decisive battle against the Hero-faction he went through life and death experience during the monster crises and resurrected by the power of Ophis and Great Red which is an unpredictable happening. He then proceeded to defeat the Jabberwock and Cao Cao in that flow. It hasn't even been a year since all of this accomplishment. Terrifying indeed...not really. It's just full of events which can only make you laugh in amazement. Then it was the battle against Qlippoth. He received an assault from the Evil Dragon Grendel and witnessed the destruction of the country of Vampires upclose. He was there during the hijack of the Agreas and when the year was about to end he was present during the Qlippoth's assault of the Heaven. He accepted the challenge from the Church's swordsman soon as the new year began… "**_

"I wonder why I even accepted that challenge, I didn't know how to wield Ascalon back then."

" _ **And then he met the Dragon God of time, offering him an alternative to defeating Qlippoth permanently. Using the gifts of the Dragon God of Time, he was able to beat Rizevim down, and defeat Apophis. At the end of the battle, he sacrificed himself, with the help of Akatosh, to permanently kill Trihexa. Now he is standing right here, at the edge of the world, ready to make more legends for future generations."**_

"..."

" _ **Now that I finished, I have to ask you something."**_

"And?"

" _ **Why the fuck you kept interrupting me?"**_

"Some of the things you said were ridiculous."

" _ **It's true about Irina wanting to cut of your penis back then. I am rewatching that moment, and she was clearly trying-"**_

"Okay, okay! I get it, she hated my guts back then."

" _ **Don't sound so hurt. She was ignorant back then."**_

"That's all you have to say? Then, I'll be going. Smell you later, you shitty Dragon God." Issei stood up, and a magic transportation circle appeared. He waved goodbye to his mentor.

Akatosh quickly stood up, and got serious.

" _ **Issei, a warning, before you go."**_ Akatosh's voice was stern, which changed the entire mood. Issei sweat dropped, as Akatosh came closer to him with holding a amulet. The Dragon God wrapped his arms around Issei's neck, putting on the amulet.

" _ **Before I met you, your future was very bright and clear; you had lots of children with your wives, children with unique abilities and personalities. Now...because of the choices you made, your future is cloudy, filled with uncertainty and dangers that even I can not predict or foresee. But one thing is for certain...There are a chain of events that must be stopped. Only you, can prevent disaster. I can no longer intervene with your life, because I already have change the course of time to much. I have done what I set out to do. As a token of my appreciation, and for trusting me since the beginning, I have personally constructed an amulet."**_

It took a minute for Issei to absorb everything that Akatosh had to say.

"Wait...you're leaving?"

" _ **Yes."**_

"You're kidding, right? This must be one of your terrible jokes-" Issei sweatdropped even more, but then he was interrupted by Akatosh.

" _ **This shall also be a token to you of our joined blood and pledged faith. So long as you and your descendants shall wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall this dragonfire burn―an eternal flame―as a sign to all men and gods of our faithfulness."**_ Akatosh pointed at the flame inside the amulet.

Akatosh then turns into his original form, flying above the void skies.

" _ **I feel incredibly younger, than ever before!"**_

"Get back down here, Akatosh!"

" _ **Everything here, in this Valley, is yours. Do not worry, you have Ddraig, Irina, and everyone else to help you forge your future."**_

"WAIT! DON'T LEAVE ME, FATHER!" He screamed as loud as he could, with tears flowing through his eyes. He could not believe that after all this, he would just leave him.

" _ **Fare thee well...Dovahkiin."**_ understanding his upcoming struggles, the Dragon God cried, then he disappeared into the void, leaving his tears at the palm of his most valued pupil.

* * *

 _ **Afterword**_

 _ **Hey guys, just leaving a note here, in case of confusion.**_

 _ **Akatosh's departure- Yep, he's gone. The reason why is because I want Issei to regain his relationships with his old friends. If you had read the previous chapters, Issei bluntly ignored mostly everyone and followed only Akatosh's directions. There other reasons, and I will discuss them if you want in a PM. All you need is to ask.**_

 _ **To not cause errors, I will not delete the preview.**_

 _ **Next chapter is most likely coming out in July...hopefully.**_

 _ **Peace!**_


	12. Delay, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

 _"..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 _ **A/N: Hey guys! Coming at you with an update!**_

 _ **Summer has arrived! This year's summer will hopefully get this fanfiction more exposure in the DxD archive. Since school's out, I will be updating more frequently. I am pumped up!**_

 _ **Anyways, this update is very short. I was planning to dive right into the graduation ceremony and WRG ending ceremony, but I decided to do something different. Since I only planned three arcs for this fanfiction, and we are already at the second arc, I figured that I just take my time and show the 'calm before the storm'.**_

 _ **I also like to apologize for the inactivity since the past two months. Usually, I PM or respond to the reviews, but since the last semester of school was the most difficult, on top of that I had finals to worry about…**_

 _ **Anyways enjoy the chapter! Don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Delay, Arc II

Part 1

After the departure of Akatosh, Issei stared to the portal he made to travel back to Earth. Although tears ran through his checks, he did not had the motive to grieve, since his reunion with his friends is at the essence. He considered the Dragon God's disappearance as a complement, for he no longer needed his guidance. With nothing holding him back, he begun to move towards the portal; but then something came up in his mind.

He looked back to the ruins of the mysterious temple. His temple. This section of the Dimensional Gap...is his, and his alone. Might as well call it his own plain of Oblivion.

But what is the most important...is the bountiful amounts of unknown books and knowledge that was never revealed outside of the Forgotten Valley. This makes this old temple a treasure trove to him, for those books might have the secrets to...whatever...he really could not imagine what type of information and topics those books have.

" _Now is not the time to explore. The more I delay my return, the more likely Irina will…"_ he thought, and that thought made him strengthen his resolve to return. His fear of Irina being someone else's, or even worse, made his blood boil.

"...What is next, is uncertain. But whatever happens, I will face it head on." His words of determination finally got him to move.

And thus...the one year recovery ended.

-Line Break-

(Somewhere in Europe…)

After teleporting, Issei landed somewhere at a small town at the foot of a mountain.

When he surfaced, the embrace of the warm, bright sun greeted him. He had forgotten how the sunlight felt, and now that he felt it again, the warmth crawled all over his skin. It was a good feeling. He took the longest breath he had ever taken before, inhaling the cold, refreshing air; it made him feel new and more alive, and every breath contain more oxygen than carbon dioxide. Once again, it was a good feeling.

He opened his eyes, expecting to be somewhere in the countryside of Japan. He looked around strangely to his surroundings, finding only road signs that had writings of an unfamiliar language. He looked around and saw the wide, vast fields of corn and other cash crops, lined up in rows. Small homes with smoke coming out of the chimneys, which confused Issei because it felt very warm for him to be using chimneys.

" _Ah shit, I forgot the coordinates to Kuou. If I do not put in the coordinates in my mind during teleportation, then the magic circle will teleport me to a random location…"_ finally realizing that he is at a random foreign country, Issei cussed under his breath.

" _I could try again, but someone might see me. Although the ordinary human might believe it was just their imagination, there could be supernatural beings that might recognize me, and I don't want that yet."_ he thought. He try to find anything that stood out to him, anything that might give him a clue to where he is at.

" _Okay, calm down Issei, let's not rush things. Might as well go over the plan while I find somebody or something who can help me: First, get Ddraig back; second, become a Devil again via the [King] piece; then, find Irina. Simple, isn't it?"._ While Issei went over his plans in his head, a middle-aged woman with black hair came up to him.

In her eyes, Issei was very suspicious. He weared a black tattered jacket with a symbol, which she described to be some sort of hourglass, encased in a circle that had strange writings that she can not comprehend. His height is abnormal, though she doubted that it was his real height since he weared boots. His brown hair is very messy, and his brown eyes looked very friendly, but what caught her eye the most is the scars all over his arms.

She walked up to him in curiosity. Travelers barely pass through this small town of hers.

"Excuse me sir, are you okay?" she asked politely. Issei snapped out of his thoughts and focused his vision on the mysterious lady that appeared in front of him.

"Oh…" he didn't know what to say. Issei, of course, understood what she is saying, due to his experience as a devil before he died. But she...the lady has a somewhat particular arua that felt very familiar to him, which he cannot point out.

" _Man, that is gonna bother me. She so familiar...but yet…"_

"Um, sir?"

"Oh! Um, yes. I do need some help. Do you know where is the closest city from here?" Issei randomly asked.

"It's just a few miles from here. Just keep going north." she responded with such kindness and tenderness, he almost mistaken her for a Angel.

"Thank yo-" as he gave his thanks, his consciousness blurred. He fell down on both knees to the ground, and then collapsed, with no strength to get back up.

"H-Hey, are you okay?" the mysterious lady got on the ground and touch his shoulders to see if Issei was okay. When she did, Issei bulge very tightly.

"Gah!" he shouted in agony.

" _Shit, looks like my fatigue caught up to me...I guess this what I deserve for training without sleep…"_ he barely got his thoughts together due to the pain.

"A-Are you okay!? What's happening!?" the lady nervously called him out, but at that point Issei's consciousness reached its breaking point.

" _Ah...what a shitty way to start…"_ His vision went dark.

-Line Break-

* * *

Part 2

(A few hours later, at the Grigori Institution)

The Headquarters of the Fallen Angels, the Institution of Grigori had dramatically changed ever since the [Evil Dragon Campaign]. The high ranks of the Fallen Angels and their subordinates have devoted themselves in fixing glitches of the Sacred Gear System in Heaven, and discovering new abilities of the current Sacred Gear users, even finding new Sacred Gears that God had never intended to put in the system.

In the past months, the Institution of Grigori had also trained talented Humans that ally themselves with the Three Factions, making them candidates for World Rating Gamers that are participating in the tournaments.

But among the inhabitants of the institution, Azazel is most busiest person there. Being elected once again to be the Governor General of the Fallen Angels, Azazel's current studies (on top of being a diplomat to other mythologies for the Three Factions, and fulfilling the duties of Governor) is to figure out the disappearance of the Mid-Tier Longinus, the [Boosted Gear].

Hearing the story of the final battle between Issei(Akatosh) and Trihexa from Ra, the God of the Sun from Egyptian Mythology, Azazel concluded that the [Boosted Gear] was destroyed when Issei(Akatosh) drove Trihexa's Main Core towards the sun.

There was one thing Azazel was certain: Issei purposely sacrificed himself.

Azazel himself was dumbfounded when the news reached him. After preparing and mastering the [Isolation Barrier Field], and convincing other Gods to join in fighting against Trihexa, to suddenly hear that his favorite pupil had defeated the beast and killed himself in the process for the benefit of Mankind and the Supernatural…

It emotionally scared him. But so far he kept his true feeling inside.

But the final battle left many questions remained unsolved. Where was Trihexa sealed after all this time? Why did the other parts of Trihexa suddenly stop moving when the Main Core was destroyed, when previously they were independent from the Main Core? What language did Trihexa used when communicating with Issei during their fight? How did Issei suddenly gain that much power, and what was its source?

In able to answer some of these questions, Azazel needed Ddraig. Of course, the [Boosted Gear] was destroyed, killing Ddraig in the process.

At least that's what everyone thought.

Azazel and other top officials of the Treaty of Lilith, and the Dragons themselves knew that the spirit of a Dragon is immortal; although their physical bodies may be destroyed, there will be a time when they will resurface again (unless they were eaten by Issei).

Azazel believed that if they waited for Ddraig to be resurfaced again, then he will tell the true story behind Issei. The problem is...it is unknown if Ddraig will resurface as the [Boosted Gear] or his physical body. Another problem is that it will take probably thousands of years for the Red Dragon to return.

So, Azazel studied and researched, looking through forbidden information that Michael, the Leader of the Angels, had let him gain access.

Michael also told Azazel that the door to God's throne has been sealed by itself, for unknown reasons.

Question after question, Azazel vowed to answer them all.

During his research, one of his subordinates entered his laboratory.

"Azazel-sama, aren't you going to Lilith to visit the statue of Issei-dono?" asked the subordinate.

"I should, but there's no point; for me, dwelling on the past isn't going to help me feel better…trust me, I have lost many valuable friends before." Azazel quietly said. He didn't even look at his subordinate, since he was in deep thought.

"I suppose so, but even I, at least, honor my deceased friends; I might not have live as long as you, but I lived long enough to see many of precious comadres die, whether it was in battle, tragedy, or the effects of their arrogance. The least I can do...is visit their unmarked graves." the subordinate responded.

"Are you saying that I don't honor Ise's sacrifice?"

"Azazel-sama, my intention was not to offend you. All I am saying is, is that ever since you and Sirzechs build that statue, you have been avoiding it. Have you, at least, said thanks to him or his deceased parents?"

"...No...Now that I think about it…"

"Then you should go. Oh, by the way, an agent from the Norse Mythology has given me a written report. I haven't read it, since I was in hurry to go to Lilith." the subordinate gave Azazel a folder, which contain information that he no interest on.

"Sigh...I guess I can give it a look, although it might bore me." Azazel took the folder and toss it aside towards a pile of other papers that he 'might' look over later.

"Well then, i'm off. See ya."

"Yep, see ya."

As the subordinate left, Vali walked in.

[Yo, Azazel.] the White Dragon Emperor greeted him.

"Well, well, if isn't Vali and Albion."

"Hey Azazel. Came by to see if you're alright."

"I'm fine Vali. Besides, I don't truly believe you just came all this way, just to see if 'I'm alright'. What is it that you need?" Azazel asked.

"I come by every month to get the report from the Norse Mythology." Vali answered.

"The report? Oh, you mean...?" Azazel dug through the piles of folders, for he already lost the report.

After a few seconds, he finally found it and hand it over to Vali.

"That's it, right?"

"Yes." Vali smiled as he opened the folder rather quickly.

"You know, you shouldn't do this, Vali. Your mother and your siblings don't really need somebody to look over them." Azazel rose an eyebrow in suspicion.

"...This is the last report." Vali said sadly. He already realized that he is intervening with his haha's (T/N: mom's) life.

"You know what? I'm interested in this particular report. I want to read it over first, if you don't mind." Azazel snatched the papers from Vali's hands, making the young silver haired teenager anxious.

"H-Hey, give that back!"

"Woah there, I'm not interested in your fetishes involving your mother. I'm just curious in how they write these reports." Azazel half lied. He totally wanted to see in how much detail would the Norse Mythology write about his haha's actions.

"Fine, hurry up."

Azazel rolled his eyes and glued his face to the paper, just to annoy Vali.

The report states:

 _[ #Final Report#: In the last 24 hours, nothing has happened. Until, ten minutes ago, one of our agents had spotted a very suspicious person. Here is her description:_

 _Name: Unknown_

 _Gender: Male(?)_

 _Height: 5 feet, 11 inches(?)_

 _Race: Unknown_

 _During that time, the suspect wears a black tattered jacket with an unknown crest bearing behind his back. The design of the crest appears to be heavily influenced by the Devil culture, but none of the noble families have this crest._

 _The crest itself has a time-glass, encased in a rune that has a unfamiliar language(s)._

 _The suspect has collapsed in front of Vali's mother, and it seems that she has taken him inside her home._

 _Side Note: When the agent was asked of her description, she repeatedly said the suspect looked exactly like Hyoudou Issei.]_

-Line Break-

When Issei was awoken, the first thing he noticed was how terrible he felt; exhaustion, hunger, thirst, and pain was the least of his worries though.

" _Where am I? More importantly, how much time has passed?"_.

Issei tried to sit up straight, but a small hand softly went across his chest and pushed him down gently to the bed. He barely turned his attention to the little girl next to him, who was nursing him. She gave a sad look when Issei attempted to get up, as if she was begging him to rest. He gave a sigh and decided to rest some more, which delighted the young female next to him.

For some reason, the young girl never left his side.

She fed him porterage, which she cooked herself, and wash his body. Issei, of course, did not complain.

"Umm, W-What's your name, Mister?" the young girl suddenly asked.

"...Issei." he answered softly.

"Isei? That is a strange name."

"Well, I'm not from around here..." Issei nervously laughed and scratched his head.

" _It's for the best that she doesn't get my name right."_

"Well then Isei, my name is-"

"Hey, don't you think it's weird to tell your name to a stranger?" Issei interrupted.

"You're not a stranger." the young girl said.

"S-Still, you shouldn't give your name."

"O-Okay. If you say so…" the young girl got up from her chair.

"Well then Isei, mama told me to get your clothes and be on your way. Although she's very nice with strangers, she doesn't like them staying in our home for too long."

" _You just told me that I wasn't a stranger…"_

"I-I see. Then I'll be on my way. Where did you put my clothes?"


	13. Valkyrie Conflict, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note

 _ **A/N: Yo, yo, yo! Welcome! Before we start the story, I have some things to point out. If you guys did not notice the title, summary, and titles of the previous chapters, then let me explain. I have released the biggest update for this fic, known as Dragonbreak Chronicles, which is also the new title. Keep in mind, that although most of the previous chapters (more specifically chapters 1-8) have been heavily revised by yours truly, there are still mistakes and parts that I have to edit(for example the old Author's Notes), which will happen overtime and behind the scenes. The reasoning behind all of this is simple: The older chapters had a lot of grammar mistakes, and lots of things left out from the cannon DxD; that's why I think many readers dropped it at the first chapter. Although it could just be my imagination, and many fanfic readers are either anime fans or not caught up in the LNs yet.**_

 _ **Since we got that out of the way, I also have another thing to point out. I know that many of you guys read the ending of chapter 12, and noticed that the ending seemed to be...cut off. Well, it is because it is XD. I actually never intended to put the last 20 lines, but though to my excitement, I wrote them and put it in. My bad :P.**_

 _ **Hooray for 20,000 views! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST :D!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

Valkyrie Conflict, Arc II

Part 1 (A/N: Starting off with the ending of chapter 12)

When Issei woke up, the first thing he noticed was how terrible he felt; not only he felt exhausted (although he had rested), but his body was sore as well. He was hungry, and thirsty too. The aching was over his body, but the pain was the least of his worries.

" _Where am I? Most importantly, how much time has passed?"_ he asked himself. He tried to sit up straight, but a small hand softly went across his chest and pushed him down gently to the bed. He barely turned his attention to the little girl next to him, who was nursing him. She gave a sad look when Issei attempted to get up again, as if she was begging him to rest. He gave a sigh, and decided to rest some more, which delighted the young female next to him.

For some reason, the young girl never left his side. She fed him porterage, which she cooked herself, and washed his body, although Issei asked her not to. In the end, of course, he had no choice but to comply.

"Umm, W-What's your name, Mister?" after a few minutes of silence, the young girl suddenly asked for his name.

"...Issei." he answered softly.

"Isei? That is a strange name."

"Well, I'm not from around here..." Issei nervously laughed and scratched his head.

" _It's for the best that she doesn't get my name right."_

"Well then Isei, my name is-"

"Hey, don't you think it's weird to tell your name to a stranger?" Issei interrupted.

"You're not a stranger, are you?" the young girl asked.

"S-Still, you shouldn't give your name."

" _I don't want her, nor her family, to be caught up with my affairs. It's best for them to think that I am just a traveler, and get out of here as soon as possible, before I catch any unwanted attention."_ Issei slowly nodded his head to himself.

"O-Okay. If you say so…" the young girl got up from her chair and pointed at the door next to her.

"Well then Isei, mama told me to get your clothes and be on your way, once you are healed up, rested and fed of course. Although she's very nice with strangers, she doesn't like them staying in our home for too long." the young girl said.

" _You just told me that I wasn't a stranger…"_ Issei once again scratched his head in confusion.

"I-I see. Then I'll be on my way. Where did you put my clothes?"

"It is over by the porch on your way out."

"Okay-" Issei stood up from the bed, not realizing that all he had on was a pair of boxers. The young girl blushed, and faced away from him.

"..." Being dense as ever before, he just realized that he was almost naked, and also blushed in embarrassment, but he pressed on to the porch.

" _That man is strange."_ the young girl thought to herself.

-Line Break-

"Safe Travels~!"

"Goodbye!" They bid each farewell, and Issei continued on his journey back to the supernatural world. He had decided to go the nearest major city, and find his way home, instead of teleporting again.

"Phew~! Seriously, I need to learn how to teleport better." Issei mumbled to himself in relief and dissatisfaction. He was thankful for the young girl and her mother for housing him, and at least giving him decent medical attention. He never got to say thanks, but it was at best if they never see each again, for Issei is a...overwhelming existence. Coming back from the dead three times is something that is not to be underestimated, and on top of destroying the most powerful existence in reality(In truth it was Akatosh), Issei entire existence is nothing but a paradox. Starting from the weakest Red Dragon Emperor in history and a Low-Class Devil, to a Dragon Demi-God in just two years time...it was something unique that will only happen once. Even with this much power, Issei still needs to re-obtain the [Boosted Gear]. Even training for one year straight, under the guidance of Akatosh, has not made him a master of the arcane arts. Although he was way better off in using magic than ever before, he still had a lot to learn. In combat wise, he learned how to properly use [Dawnbreaker], the refined and heavily modded version of Ascalon. In truth, Issei mostly trained swordsmanship, using the Ancient Akaviri scrolls left by the first processor of [Dragonbreak]. The Akaviri School, is the only school of magic and swordsmanship in existence, that is purposely made to kill, and weaken immortals, such as Fallen Angels, Devils, Angels and even Gods, if used properly. Of course, if Issei was up against another being that learned Akaviri swordsmanship and magic, he will be in deep trouble, but there is an insane possibility that is not the case, since the only person who have access to the Akaviri scrolls is himself. The scrolls are sealed up back in the Forgotten Valley, alongside other treasures and knowledge.

Walking silently in the night, Issei found himself thinking about training Irina.

" _There is always a possibility of her getting kidnapped, or other bad situations that she can not handle herself. I should teach her-"_ Issei then realized, he couldn't.

" _It will make her fall, the Akaviri School...is too evil for her."_ he concluded. He sighed a lonely sigh, as he looked up to the night sky, and saw the stars twinkled and shined bright. He wasn't very far from the town he had just left, but the small town barely had any electricity, so there was no light pollution. It was rare sight for the brunette, since he was always a city boy, and only get to see the clear night sky when camping, or fishing with his father.

" _...I wonder what type of afterlife was in store for them, if any at all…"_ Issei stopped in his tracks, and stared into the beautiful scenery above him. Having butterflies in his stomach, and his heart throbbing, Issei felt fear.

" _...I have a long life ahead. I'll figure out an answer, and even maybe possibly-"_ reassuring himself, Isseistart walking again, shaking off the negative thoughts out of his head.

* * *

Part 2

As he reached the crossroads, he suddenly felt some type of hostility behind him. He took a right at the crossroads, ignoring the strange feeling, thinking that it was just him being jumpy after having thoughts about his deceased parents. Continuing on the road, he occasionally turns around to see if somebody was following him, only to find nothing but the dirt road leading back to the small town. He moved a bit faster, being suspicious that he had not even encountered at least one person on the road, although it took him a minute to realize that nobody was dumb enough to travel at these unsafe roads at night.

" _T-This feeling, it is familiar."_ stopping dead in his tracks, Issei once again looked at the night sky, but this time, it was red.

It reminded him of the battle with Kokabiel. He immediately assumed a battle stance, releasing [Dawnbreaker] from it's seals.

"Whoever is hiding, come out, and we'll talk." Issei announced his intentions, which were peaceful. Soon after, four Valkyries from the Norse Mythology revealed themselves, armed with battleaxes and Norse magic. Issei can feel their aura, and they seemed very powerful. They were also equipped with set of Valkyrie armor, which consists of a white breastplate with gold and pale blue accents and matching, fingerless gauntlets, boots, hip guards, and wing-shaped hair clips. Although they weared the same armor, they had different styles, such as different color of leotards, some of them weared thigh-high stockings, and different accessories.

"By the order of Odin-sama, the chief deity of Norse mythology and leader of the Gods in Asgard, you are to come with us to be interrogated! Come peacefully and be cooperative, and we'll will be compassionate and less harsh on you during the interrogation." the red haired Valkyrie commanded.

" _This kinda reminds me of when I first met Rossweisse…"_ Issei chuckled to himself.

"W-What are you laughing at?! Perhaps you are underestimating us?" the purple haired Valkyrie violently asked.

"No, no, of course not! It is just that you guys remind me of Rossweisse-sensei. How is she, now that we are on the topic." Issei asked, showing a friendly smile.

"Rossweisse? She continues to be the [Rook] of Rias Gremory, oops, I mean Rias Phoenix in the Underworld. She is a Mid-Class Devil, and teaches at the Auros Academy as a magic teacher. Despite her position, she still does not have a boyfriend, and even hasn't lost her virginity yet! She must've been so loyal to Hyoudou-sama, I mean, I would've done the same if I was at her shoes!" the pinked haired Valkyrie stated.

Issei's hairs stood on end when he heard 'Rias Phoenix'.

" _So, she decided to marry Riser in the end, huh?"_ for a few seconds, Issei's mind was filled with memories of the time he spent with his ex-girlfriend. He disregarded them afterwards.

" _It is for best, I guess. At least she is in good hands. I am glad that Rossweisse-sensei is doing fine, I'll make sure to pay a visit to the Phoenix Household, after I do my shitty bucket list, but I need to handle this situation first, for it can get really messy."_ Issei smirked.

"Hey! We are not here to discuss-, wait, did you just called Rossweisse sensei? What is your relationship with her?" the yellow haired Valkyrie asked.

"Huh? Oh, umm, I was her student once in Kuoh Academy." he answered.

"Ah, no wonder why...It all comes together now! You were Hyoudou-sama's ex-classmate! You must've been jealous of his achievements, and decided to disguise yourself as him! You should be punished! You shall hang by the neck till death for this defiance!" the red haired Valkyrie declared.

" _You gotta be fucking kidding me...and I thought I was densest person in this universe!"_

"Hold up, what do you mean? I thought you said you were going to interrogate me, not kill me! Besides, you can not just arrest me, just because of my looks!"

"Besides assuming the identity of Hyoudou-sama, you have trespassed the territory that belongs to Vali Lucifer." the red haired Valkyrie stated.

"...W-What? Why would Vali own that small town?" he asked.

"That is not of your business. Prepare yourself, fake!" The four Valkyries assume their battle stances, aiming their spells and axes towards Issei. Issei prepared himself, using his two hands to grip his blade.

" _This absolutely makes no sense! My return back to the supernatural world has been nothing but delays and trouble! Seriously, if there's any way to make this less of a hassle...oh! I guess I could use Dress Break to convince them that I am the real Issei…,but then again- Ahhhhhhhhhhh! This makes my head hurt! I just wanna go home and spend the rest of my days with Irina and everyone else~!"_ crying inside his mind, Issei ready himself.

The Valkyries rushed in a formation, which consisted of two melees in the frontal assault and two mages supporting from behind. The two melees increased their speed and momentum, swinging their axes at such a velocity that Issei only had time to calculate one dodge. He successfully dodge one of the attacks, with moments to spare, and deflecting the other attack using [Dawnbreaker]. He sighed, realizing that he was doubting his judgment and ability to dodge both attacks.

As the two melees retreated a few inches, re-strategizing their next assault, the two Valkyrie mages prepared their spells before hand, and fired without any hesitation, and with intent to kill. Issei watches, as the bolts of fire, ice, and lightning came closer. In the Valkyrie's eyes, Issei did not have enough speed to dodge, nor the ability to deflect, since upon impact, the bolts will explode, enough to injure an Ultimate-Class Devil. Even Issei himself knew he will be in some trouble if he took on the damage. Dodging is not an option, the melee Valkyries will have the opportunity and upper hand, and it will result in forcing him to use lethal force, which is not his intentions. The only way to get out of the situation is by taking it head on, and catching them by surprise.

" _Damn, I never thought I had to use one of my techniques this early. Oh well!"_

" [Dragon Aspect!] " (A/N: Dragon Aspect is an enhanced version of Dragonification, allowing Issei to not only to dragonified his body parts, but also gives them resistance to every kind of magic) Issei lifts up his arm, and dragonified it, as well as taking precautions by putting a barrier in front of it. The spell impacted the barrier, and the barrier broke; fortunately, his arm received no damage, due to the barrier absorbing all the explosives. Issei undragonified his arm, assuming his stance once again.

"I-Impossible! How could you calculate such high speed attacks?!" the red haired Valkyrie roared in fury. In truth, Issei had handicapped himself because he does not want to attack the Valkyries without dealing serious damage to them. The only way he could defend himself is by out maneuvering them, and taking precautions. The melees prepared once again, this time instead of attacking with power attacks, they were about attack with combos of hack and slash movements. Issei mentally prepared himself, taking a deep breath, and clearing his mind.

They rushed in again, in the same formation. As the melee Valkyries swung their axes, Issei relied on his fluidity, precision, and economy of his movements to dodge and deflect their attacks using blade-to-blade tactics, plus using balance and footwork. As the melee Valkyries attacks became more fierce, he had to relied on tight bladework and subtle dodges to provide maximum defensive coverage, minimizing exposure to ranged weaponry. The mage Valkyries prepared their spells once again, but they couldn't fire because they did not expect Issei to be actually taking on the assault of the melee Valkyries. The Valkyries still had the upper hand; Issei was not able to be in actual offense because his decision not to cause harm to them, plus his movements were slowing down due to his still aching body.

" _I have no intention on getting myself arrested. I need to use Dress Break, in able to create an opening and teleport. But I need another opportunity to perform it, and teleporting can be risky, for it can send me to another location that I am not familiar with. This really sucks…"_ Issei sucked his teeth in annoyance as he continued to not lose focus on his footwork and blade maneuvering. After a few minutes of non-stopping frontal assaults, the two melee Valkyries were drain of their stamina, and with Issei still standing.

"We need reinforcements!" said the exhausted red haired Valkyrie.

"You are stating the obvious! I already called them, via through the magic circle, and they should arrive in any time! Until then, continue to stall him!" commanded the pink haired Valkyrie.

" _Shit, looks like I can not use Dress Break. If I did, then it would seemed that I was going to do something indecent to them, and I do not want more rumors spreading. Damn it...I think I should just get myself arrested. Ah well, on the bright side, I should be able to get better contact with Irina."_ Issei sighed, as he sealed [Dawnbreaker] through a magic circle, and rose up his hands.

"I give up." he said.

"Huh? W-W-What?! After all this fighting, you decided to just give up?!" the yellow haired Valkyrie yelled in surprise.

"In truth, you guys saw how skilled I am, and I have not even showed an ounce of my power. That is because I do not want to harm anybody that isn't an enemy." Issei said truthfully.

"Y-You're bluffing!" the red haired Valkyrie half-yelled, since she was out of breath.

"Y-Your kidding, right? You have absolutely no right to say that I am bluffing, especially since you are still catching your breath!" he stated the obvious. The red haired Valkyrie expression looked like if she was struck down.

"Besides, if this was a real fight, then I'll stab and pull out my sword before you even realize." Issei boasted.

"A-Anyways, we shall make haste to Asgard...after we take a short break." the purple haired Valkyrie said.

The two melee Valkyries got up, armed themselves again, and point their axes towards Issei's neck.

"Not an inch, or I'll cut it off." threatened the red haired Valkyrie. Issei rolled his eyes in annoyance, and did what she told him.

As Issei was about to give up on escaping, all of the sudden, a magic circle appeared behind him. The magic circle was purple, and it had the infinity symbol on it. A hand suddenly pulls Issei into the magic circle, thus teleporting him once again.

(A/N: To be continued in the next chapter!)

 _ **Afterword**_

 _ **A/N: Rias...I really wanted to give my entire explanation, but in the end, it kinda resulted in me ranting, so to avoid making this afterword negative, send me a PM or leave a review for me to respond. I already wrote it down, so don't hesitate! All I need to do, is copy, paste and send!**_

 _ **See you in the next chapter!**_


	14. DxD Meeting, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side Note/Additional Information

 _ **A/N: What's up guys? The first thing I want address is, really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your cooperation and being civilized with the reviews. Things have been looking up since summer started, and I intend to make lots of chapters, as soon as possible!**_

 _ **To those who are very strict with the rules and guidelines of this website (although no has posted a review about it yet): I am terribly sorry for being ignorant about the rules XD. I'll try to be more careful...probably.**_

 _ **The updates will come more rapidly since I am on summer vacation, maybe even bi-weekly if I have the motivation. I don't expect, nor do I plan, to have the second arc finished by the end of summer vacation, because they are so many things that must be covered, so I hope you guys will be excited!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

[DxD] Meeting, Arc II (A/N: A few hours after chapter 13)

Part 1

(Underworld, Phoenix Household)

The [DxD] meeting was scheduled today, before the Rating Game World Tournament/Graduation Ceremonies, and after the celebration of the holiday. The meeting was located at the Phenex Household, which is the first time for the noble devil clan of Phenex to host it. In preparation, many chefs have been occupied in cooking meals and specialized dishes, maids made sure the house had been cleaned thoroughly, and security has tripled their defenses and personal (even asked the Gremory Clan to lend some troops).

Many familiar faces will be attending the meeting, especially Azazel himself, who is the advisor for [DxD].

On his way there, Azazel had met up with Dulio Gesualdo, Michael's Joker, the wielder of the second strongest Longinus known as Zenith Tempest, and the Leader of [DxD]. Dulio came from the capital city of Lilith, from visiting the statue of Issei to pay his respects.

"Was Irina with you?" Azazel asked.

"She is at the Phenex Household already, since she had gotten in contact with Xenovia-san and Asia-san beforehand." Dulio responded.

"I see...say, if you don't mind me asking, how's Gabriel doing?" Azazel asked Dulio, giving him a nudge, wink and a perverted smile. Dulio smiled back mischievously, making Azazel even more curious than ever before.

"She was just at Lilith, visiting the statue of Ise-kun."

"Y-You're lying!" Azazel denied Dulio's response, which made the carefree angel laugh.

"If I was, then my wings would have flicker. Are you perhaps jealous that she came all the way from Heaven, just to see Ise-kun, instead of you?" Dulio teased.

"You bet your ass I am! Damn, even in death, that kid is getting the most beautiful woman in Heaven on her knees!" Azazel pouted. Dulio laughed innocently, making Azazel even more annoyed. After a few seconds of catching his breath, Dulio then gave a sad smile.

"It's too bad you can not complain to him about this, since he is no longer with us…" Dulio whispered to himself, but Azazel heard him. Azazel stopped walking, and grab the carefree angel's shoulders, signalizing him that governor needed to say something of importance.

"...Dulio, the reason I sought you out first, instead of going straight to the Phenex Household, is because I have something very important to share with [DxD], but I need your assistance, since you are the leader." Azazel said, making Dulio more serious than usual.

"I'll do anything that is within my power, as long it is for the benefit of everyone. Tell me, what type of assistance do you specifically need?" Dulio asked.

"I need you to check on everyone, especially Rias's peerage, after I give the information that I had just received a few hours ago. Vali already heard this, and when he heard it, he almost immediately went nuts, as far as chanting his [Empireo Juggernaut Overdrive]. If this made Vali almost lose his shit, then I have a very bad feeling about the Gremorys..."

"W-What? Then...this information you speak of, is something very terrible, isn't?" Dulio concluded.

"Yes." Azazel agreed.

"Well then, I am guessing you are going to explain further when the [DxD] meeting starts."

"Yes. Come on, we don't want to be late."

-Line Break-

Arriving just in time, Azazel and Dulio reached the home to the members of the Phenex clan.

The Phenex castle is greater in size than the Gremory mansion, which serves as the place of ruling. The castle's outside layout is comprised of the main building with a tall building in the background, surrounded by multiple towers with flames protruding around, and at the top. The front tower has embedded, the phoenix emblem. There are also leafless trees that have tiny flames protruding from the tips. At the entrance is a huge golden statue of a phoenix in the middle of a fountain of fire and at the sides there are poles with small flames coming out on top, and also archway structures similar to an aqueduct that also have flames sprouting at the top.

"Never knew that the Phenex Household liked to show off." Dulio said in amazement.

"Yes, and the inhabitants of the Phenex Household used to bragged about their power and immortality, well...more specifically Riser and Ravel, but Ise fixed that problem before it got any worse." Azazel chuckled to himself, and Dulio did the same, to their amusement.

"Let's just hope their food taste better than it's looks!" Dulio laughed out loud, as they entered the castle.

Upon entering, the interior of the castle has a red colour theme blended with matching colors. The entryway has a white, square tile floor with large red tiles to the sides with the phoenix emblem embedded. To the sides of the entryway floor are large gaps with huge flames sprouting out, more poles of fire, and elevated platforms with grass and goblets of fire. Everywhere inside has the clan's signature emblem.

"Welcome, welcome!" the greeter who spoke very cheerfully was Lord Phenex, the head of the Phenex clan. He came down the stairs, and instantly grabbed Azazel's hand, shaking it with much enthusiasm.

"It has been a long time since we converse with each other, Governor of the Fallen Angels. You do remember me, correct?" Lord Phenex asked.

"I vaguely remember you, but I do remember your father." Azazel responded.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha! That is to be expected, since you only met me, when I was a child. Father always told stories about my great-grandfather, and how you fought against him during the Great War, saying that 'the crow is no match for the legendary Phoenix!', eh, no offense though." Lord Phenex laughed nervously, as he scratched

his head. Azazel shrugged his shoulders in response, not really caring about what happened in the past. Dulio giggled, and that made Azazel a little annoyed.

"A-Anyway, would you care to try some of our specialties? They are quite delicious!" Lord Phenex offered.

"No thank you-"

"Oh, yes, please! I intentionally starve myself, just to eat some of your cuisines!" Dulio eyes sparkled, as he grabbed Lord Phenex's hands.

"Come this way, then! Careful, Michael's Joker, for the taste of the Phenex Household, might turn you into a Fallen Angel! Hahaha!" Lord Phenex laughed at his own joke while leading a very excited Dulio towards the kitchen. Azazel sighed in exhaustion, not expecting the head of the Phenex clan to be such a...fool.

"Ah well, it is still early."

* * *

Part 2

During the preparation of the [DxD] meeting, the Occult Research Club met at one of the VIP rooms of the Phenex Household. Since the [DxD] was held today at the household, it was convenient for them to meet there, instead of going to the old school building. Approximately, in two days time, it will be the new semester and the second years will all be going up a year level. On top of that the new first year students will be enrolling in the academy, so ORC need to start the school events back from the start again.

"We are finally going to be a third-year student. Many things happened in this one year but it feels like time went past too quickly…" Ravel said.

"Yes...I agree with Ravel-buchou."

"…We are almost going to become third year students. We are going to have more juniors from next month, Gya-kun."

"I-It will be fine Koneko-chan! I-I have been acting like a senior! M-Mostly..."

"We do have to advertise in gathering members just in case, for next month. Oh...Looks like I won." Ravel and Koneko were playing a game of palace, and Ravel won by two magic numbers, which was a 2 and 10.

"Hetare Yakitori-hime." Koneko whispered in defeat.

"What did you just call me?!"

"Well...we should worry about our future." Kiba changed the subject.

"I started to think it might be a good idea to open a cake shop in Kuou town. Well, since we have a long Devil life we can do anything though you would needs funds to do them."

"Oh? A cake shop?" Xenovia said, astonished at Kiba's plans for the future.

"Since the cheesecake I make was Ise-kun's favourite…"

"I am planning to go to the college division of Kuou academy just in case. Though I still haven't decided on whether I will be working at a place which is affiliated with the Church even more or do something else. I am allowed to do anything I wish as long as I gather at the emergency meeting. Even so, I won't know what will happen few years in the future… Except-" Irina's words suddenly stops there. She then continues with a small voice while feeling shy.

"…I…am thinking that it might be fun to start a bakery shop in the future."

"I guess It would be helpful if I had a partner." said Kiba.

"Yeah...you know, Ise-kun actually liked my hotcakes a lot. Ehehe." Irina laughed, as she remembered how Issei's face was filled with syrup after he eat his breakfast.

"Yeah, I was shocked when I saw you write that on the sheet which asked us about what career path we wanted to take. You want to start a proper bakery shop, right?" Xenovia asked.

"Yes. To tell you the truth, I have been studying it lately. I'm learning under Rias-san and Akeno-san's supervision."

"By the way, Irina's second option was….becoming a bride. Though she rubbed it out right away."

"Mou! Xenovia is such a bully!"

"That's what you get."

"I think that's a wonderful dream!" said the cheerful Asia.

"Except, starting a bakery is a bit difficult unlike becoming a bride."

-Line Break-

(A few minutes later)

In the underground of the Phenex Household, the [DxD] members met in a VIP room, which was a stranded room(unlike the flashy rooms on the floors above), filled with beautiful, expensive and ancient furniture. There was round table, with seats for each member, and maid to tend to each member's needs. There was also a flat screen television, in case the [DxD] members needed an immediate source of information from the news, during times of crisis or conflict. Since anything could happen, from terrorist attacks to emergencies, there is a secret passageway in the room for the members can quickly exit.

The leader of [DxD], Dulio, sat on his seat at one of the ends of the round table, stuffing his face with food that was given to by Lord Phenex. From cheesecakes with frostings that are uniquely made with [Phoenix Tears], to steaks with sauces made with…[Phoenix Tears], Dulio eat every single thing without hesitation. The rest of the [DxD] members were certainly uncomfortable and a little disgusted on how the Joker eats his meals; he slurps on the food with each bite, as if he was drinking soup, and he chews with his mouth open, exposing the broken down, saliva filled food.

"For an Angel, you certainly don't have any matters." Azazel calmly said.

"It'sh jusht hat zhe foo is sooo oo!" (T/N: (Lol) It's just that the food is so good!).

"Don't speak with your mouth full!" Azazel yelled in annoyance.

"It was a bad idea to let otou-sama be the head chef…" murmured the youngest sibling of the Phenex Household, Ravel. Although her initial outfit consisted of a light purple dress with dark purple accents and a blue bow at the front, since it was holiday season (as in the one year anniversary of the conclusion of the [Evil Dragon Campaign], Graduating Ceremony (although she is not graduating), and World Rating Game Tournament Ending Ceremony) she weared a uniform that consists of a red button top with a white tie, a red skirt as well as a purple cape along with a blue satchel on her waist, in honor to Issei.

The person sitting across from Dulio was Sun Wukong, the second-in-command of [DxD], the first Monkey King, The Great Victorious Fighting Buddha, and Great Sage Equaling Heaven. Covered in golden fur, he has a wrinkled and creased face. He is also carrying a staff-like weapon, smoking a pipe, wearing shades, and also donning prayer beads on his forehead. He watches quietly, as everyone else socializes before the meeting began. He was also disgusted by the display that Dulio had shown, but laughed it off, remembering that he used to eat like that as well during his youth.

Out of the Rookies four, which consisted of Riser Phenex, Sona Sitri, Seekvaira Agares, and Sairaorg Bael, only three were available. Riser Phenex, along with his wife, Rias Phenex, had a diplomatic mission to invite the Egyptian Mythology to the peace treaty, thus they cannot partake in the meeting. Sairaorg's peerage conversed within themselves, planning their next competitions that will come, as well as Seekvaira's peerage. Sona's peerage, accompanied by Rias's peerage (including Irina and Ravel), conversed about their next plans about their future.

Griselda Quarta, unfortunately, could not come to the meeting, due to the incident that happened in Heaven. The Seventh Floor, which used to belong to God of the Bible, was sealed shut after the death of Issei. Heaven needed every able body to put their research into opening the door. Also, the records of the [Boosted Gear], all of the sudden, disappeared without a trace, which lead to Azazel's current studies.

Tobio Ikuse and Lavinia Reni were unable to come since they are tasked with undercover and behind scenes activities.

The Vali team also came, but they were more worried about their leader, Vali, then anything else.

"Excuse me for interrupting your conversations, but I, Lord Phenex, would like to give my deepest gratitude for choosing the Phenex Household for the [DxD] meeting. My troops, my maids, my chefs, and myself included, are at your disposal." Lord Phenex said through a magic circle.

"No, thank you Lord Phenex for giving us such great hospitality!" Dulio said, after swallowing his food and drank his water.

"Hohoho, it is an honor and absolute pleasure. Say, Dulio-dono, why don't we hang out sometime, and try out some of our...secret formulas for our dishes?" Lord Phenex offered.

"As long as I have the time, you can count on it!"

"Great! I can not wait! Ehm, sorry for the interruption, again." scratching his head once again, Lord Phenex deactivated the magic circle.

"Is your father always this nice, and apologetic?" asked Saji.

"Y-Yes, it is a habit of his that he rarely shows, and only shows it to his closest friends." Ravel answered, feeling a bit embarrassed on behalf of her father.

"Well then, now that Dulio here has finished stuffing his face with...whatever he eat, let us begin our meeting." once Azazel started the intro of the discussion, everyone became silent and attentive.

"Before we go further in with our reports, let us congratulate Vali and his team for winning the Rating Game World Tournament." everyone clapped and cheered for Vali, and he softly blushed and turned his face the other way in embarrassment, but also to hide his happiness.

"Nya~ Don't be so shy, champion-chin." Kuroka teased.

"Let us say our celebration after the ceremony, which is in two days. Now, Sairaorg and his peerage, if you don't mind, let us start off with your report."

"Yes." Sairaorg stood up firmly and cleared his throat.

"In the last couple of months, there was a slight increase of Devils becoming stray. We looked into this matter, and it seems that some of the youth High-Class Devils, which I cannot name, due to 'circumstances' with my household and theirs, have mistreated their servants. In most cases, the servants were female, and their reasoning for abandoning their masters and becoming stray is because they were mistreated." upon Sairaorg's conclusion, everyone became more seriously disgusted on how the House of Bael operates. Diehauser Bael never exposed the higher ups in the devil politics and how the Rating Games were rigged. Sairaorg clinched his fist in anger, knowing that his household was already dishonorable enough, but to reach an all time low, exploiting and bribing their way into power…is something he cannot approve, even if it was his own family.

"That is troublesome, and should be one of our major discussions with Michael and Sirzechs. The House of Bael is getting out of hand, especially when Diehauser was caught using the [King] piece, and the House of Bael bride their way out of it. Although discussing it will not do anything, it is better than just doing nothing. Thank you Sairaorg, and congratulations on getting fourth place in the Rating Game World Tournament."

"Your words honor me, Governor. Next Tournament, I will be number one." Sairaorg declaration made everyone feel better and excited for the next Tournament.

"Next, Seekvaira."

"Yes Governor. Our report is more of a warning, or advice that the three factions must consider. The maximum security prison that holds Ultimate Class prisoners and forbidden demons, should task more Fallen Angels and Angles to the facility." Seekvaira stated

"Interesting. Can you explain more on your hypothesis?" Azazel asked.

"If I recall correctly, Fallen Angels and Angels have the power of light and holiness, which is extremely dangerous to a devil. If more eight-winged Angels or Fallen Angels were able to be tasked with this...then the percentage of disasters, like organized prison-breaks or breakouts, will decrease tremendously. Of course, Ultimate Class Devils and the Maous should continue to do their rounds, but it will give them more time to focus on the Underworld politics...No offense, Sairaorg-sama."

"None was taken."

"I see. That is a very good hypothesis, but unfortunately, Heaven right now is currently busy with their problems on the seventh floor, and the Fallen Angels are currently training the next contestants of the Rating Game World Tournament. Nonetheless, this should be mentioned in our discussion. Oh, and congratulations on making it to the top 20 in the Tournament."

"Thank you for your humble words, Governor." Seekvaira bowed her head in respect and gratitude.

"Sona's peerage and the OCR, I would like to remind you, that since most of you are busy with school activities and the graduation ceremony, I give you a pass on your duties for [DxD]." Azazel smiled towards them.

"Then, is the meeting done? Because if that is so, then I-"

"Not so fast Vali. I know how you are feeling, and I would address the situation now." Azazel held up his hand to quiet Vali down, which made him suck his teeth, but he regain his patience.

Kuroka, Le Frey, Bikou and Arthur finally took the meeting a bit more serious, since they are about to find out the cause of Vali's unrest. Azazel took some time to put together his jumbled words, and hoped that he won't be bombarded with questions and suspicions.

"In the last few hours, there were some disturbing reports of a man who has suddenly appeared out of nowhere; the location is around the countryside of a European country. The Norse Mythology are looking into this matter as we speak, and most of you guys are wondering: why is this important? Well, in the suspect's description, the source stated that the man looked exactly like Ise."

["What!?"] everyone (for the exception of Vali and Sun Wukong) yelled in surprise. Before anyone had the chance to even say a word, Azazel briefly went over the details.

"The Norse Mythology has yet to learn the intentions of that man, or even know if that man was simply just a japanese traveler who coincidentally look like Ise. Unfortunately, the suspect is most likely not just random traveler, for they stated that the man weared a black tattered jacket with an unknown crest behind his jacket."

"What does the crest look like?" asked Sairaorg.

"A time glass enruned in a circle, with an unfamiliar language written. The design looks to be inspired by the Devil culture, and what I found interesting, is that none of the 72 pillars of the Devil clans do not have this crest."

"Then...this man is purposely using the identity of Ise-" just when Saji was about to share his concerns, Sona quickly put her hand over his mouth.

"Do not assume anything Saji. Azazel-sensei stated that the Norse Mythology has yet to learn anything besides what he just said out loud." she said. Saji nodded and then Sona let go.

"Sorry." she apologized to both Azazel and Saji.

"Do not sweat it, even I myself was filled with anxiety."

"Um...A-Azazel-sama." Le Frey nervously raised her hand, which threw everyone off guard, even Azazel himself.

"Yes Le Frey? You look like you have something very important to say, and I can tell from the sweat dropping from your chin." Azazel observations made Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"What is wrong Frey-chin? You seem to be keeping a very big secret, nya."

"Don't provoke her, Kuroka. It is okay, tell us what you know." Arthur said, giving the cute little witch some more confidence.

"Does it have to do with the situation we dealing with right now?" Azazel asked, and Le Frey shyly nodded her head in response.

"R-Ravel-sama...do you remember the pact me and Ise-san made awhile back?"

"Y-Yes, I clearly remember it."

"Yes, it was a six year pact. But-" as Le Frey explains, she took out a piece of paper that used to have the Gremory symbol on it. The piece paper allow Le Frey to summon Issei for her experiments or other means.

"-ever since Ise-san died, the Gremory symbol disappeared. I-I...always hold on to this paper and took it everywhere with me, in memory to him. But a few days ago...a new symbol appeared on the paper, a-and the symbol is that exact one that the suspect you spoke of had at the back of his jacket…"

"W-What?! Let me see the paper." Azazel immediately snatched the paper from Le Frey hands.

"Hey, can't you be more gentler, Azazel?!" Arthur yelled in behalf of his little sister, but Azazel was not startled from it.

"T-This…" unable to come up with words, Azazel's analysis of the paper proved what Le Frey just said.

"Have you tried to summon him?" Azazel asked.

"N-No! I never had the courage to do so…"

"This is the only lead we have then…" Kiba whispered, but everyone heard him.

In everyone's hearts, a new fire had been born. A new hope, the desire to find their lost friend that they had abandoned a few months ago, was suddenly ignited at full force.

" _Fake or not...this, this is our clue to figuring out the biggest mystery of the era…"_ Azazel thought to himself, as a smile appeared in his face.

" _...no, we can not get ahead of ourselves yet!"_

"Everyone, please, I know the urge to believe is real, but let us not get ahead of ourselves yet. We need to take precautions-" just as Azazel was about to explain their next move, a magic circle appeared in his right ear.

"It's from Michael...what the fuck does he want, at a time like this!" Azazel yelled in annoyance.

[Azazel.] Michael spoke through the magic circle in a serious tone.

"M-Michael, we are in a middle of a meeting-"

[I know, but this is important.]

"Fine, what's going on?"

[The seventh floor had opened. A mysterious figure, with a black tattered jacket with a time glass symbol on his back opened it…,and the eerie thing about this mysterious stranger, is that he looks exactly like Ise…]

"..." upon hearing the news, Azazel and everyone else found themselves dumbfounded.

Then another magic circle appeared on Azazel's left ear, and it was from the Norse Mythology.

[Azazel, it's me, Odin. The four Valkyries that I assigned reported back with no success of capturing the suspect. Apparently, due to love for Hyoudou, they immediately attack him, but they said that he repel against them, using a sword and the abilities of a dragon. The suspect did not harm them, nor did he intended to do so.]

"...W-What happen to the suspect?"

[Ophis intervene, just as the suspect gave up, and she pull him towards Ophis's magic circle. Their location is currently unknown.]


	15. The Seventh Floor, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side note/Additional Information

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

 _ **A/N: Yo! Welcome to chapter 15 of Dragonbreak Chronicles!**_

 _ **I would like to give thanks to all of you guys, for reviewing, following, and favoriting my story! Hell, the fact you took some time off, just to read one chapter might mean nothing to you, but for me, it means alot. Thanks~!**_

 _ **There is one thing I would like to address that some of you guys ask me, and that is...the romance. Here is the most frequent question that some of you guys ask (besides Rias): Will there be a harem? My answer: I am focusing on the plot and the relationship between (mainly) Irina and Issei…FOR NOW (noticed that I capitalized the last two words of the sentence).**_

 _ **Also, just letting you guys know: although the chapters are coming out more often, it won't stay like this forever. Once school starts, chapters will be coming out monthly like usual (for the exception of september, probably). I do not know when school starts, but I am suspecting september 5.**_

 _ **This chapter is a flashback (sort of), which will explain some of the events that were mentioned during chapter 14. Hope you guys are enjoying this storyline so far!**_

 _ **We are almost heading towards 200 followers! Thanks~!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

The Seventh Floor, Arc II

Part 1 (A/N: Starting off with the ending of chapter 13)

A magic circle appeared behind Issei, as he was about to give up his escape; due to his peaceful intentions and worries that he might accidentally harm the Valkyries, who were his pursuers, he raised his hands up and allow them to arrest him. Then the magic circle, which surprised both Issei and the Valkyries, suddenly took him by the shoulder and pull him into it, thus teleporting once again to another unknown location. The magic circle was purple, with two snakes eating their own tails, making an infinity symbol.

-Line break-

"H-Hey, that hurts!" Issei yelped in pain, as the extremely, strong force gripped his shoulder when it pulled him, almost tearing his entire arm off his body. Then he was let go, which made Issei naturally turn around to owner of the hand. A cute young girl with long black hair down to her hips and black eyes. Her ears differ from a normal human, as they have pointed tips, although her long black hair makes this feature difficult to notice. Her attire consisted of Gothic Lolita, and she had a small size dragon on the top of her head. When looked upon her expression, it seem as if she had no emotion.

Issei immediately knew who this person was, and he was generally happy to see her again.

"Ophis!" as he called out her name, her emotionless face turn into a bright smile, something that Issei could never have imagined.

"Ise-nii!" she clinged on to him, like a magnet, and stuffed her face upon his chest. He was baffled to have one of the most powerful dragons to ever existed, all of the sudden, hug him and call him 'Ise-nii'. The dragon above her head, Rassei, flew over to Issei's and made itself comfortable by resting upon it.

"Oi, Oi...Rassei, I thought you were suppose to be with Asia…" Rassei, the baby Sprite Dragon, is the familiar of Asia. The blue baby dragon responded by caressing his small head against Issei's hair.

"I, am currently training Rassei." Ophis stated.

"Anyways, how did you know it was me straight away?" he asked.

"You, reminded me of a hourglass. Before you died, I, said the same thing."

"Ah, I remember. It was before I went to pick up Ravel from Beelzebub..." he sighed, looking up to void skies of the Dimensional Gap. Different colors can be seen, as if one person looks through a kaleidoscope. The colors move on their own, freely floating in the nothingness; it was monotonous for him, and he questioned on how could Ophis even stand living here. A few minutes have passed, and the dreadful peace had made him...comfortable. Uncannily comfortable; to have nothingness smoothly pass through his skin, to feel as if he weighed almost nothing, and to breathe nothingness...the best way he could describe this feeling, is how a human floats in space without dying to the lack of oxygen.

He saw Rassei in his magic barrier, which is protecting him from the harmful effects of the Dimensional Gap. Issei, somehow, was able to withstand the effects without magical shielding, though he rather put it on (which he did), to at least feel something. For a person to not disappear in the Dimensional Gap, and continue floating, he wonders how long a mortal mind can last before it snapped. Rassei took off his barrier once Issei put his on, and Ophis intentionally entered, still hugging him.

"I, missed you." the cold tears came rolling down her soft cheeks, as she held her head high and look up to the person she considered to be her first friend, and older brother. Issei can only stare at her in confusion, not understanding the situation he was in, meanwhile he was finding the reason why she became so attached to him.

"Ophis, why did you call me 'Ise-nii', if I am not even related to you?"

"..." the question made her go into '?' mode, which is where she goes into deep thought about the question asked. After a few minutes of thinking, Ophis had come up with an answer.

"Yin and Yang. I, am Yin. You, are Yang."

"That makes sense, but I am not Akatosh."

"A-Ka-Tosh?" once again, she goes into '?' mode, but this time after thinking some more, she could not give an explanation.

"It can't be helped." Issei shrugged his shoulders, understanding why Ophis could not comprehend his question. Akatosh is the Dragon God of Time, and Ophis is the Dragon God of Infinite; in chinese philosophy, it is simply known as Yin and Yang. Although Issei is not Akatosh, he can be thought as the Dragon Demigod of Time, since Akatosh drew blood and flesh from his own heart to create Issei's new body, almost like Great Red once did.

" _It is for the best to not remind her about Akatosh, but I can't have calling me Ise-nii all the time."_ Issei decided.

"Just call me Issei or Ise for now on, kay? I-It is weird for you to act like this."

"Too weird?"

"Y-Yes...If Great Red looked at you right now, he'll probably get the wrong idea, and call you a weakling."

"I, understand. I, do not want Great Red to get the wrong idea." Ophis let go of her grip, and backed away from Issei.

" _Well...at least that worked. Wouldn't want a Dragon God hugging me all the time; I do not want to attract the wrong attention, and worse of all, making people think that I am overpowered and an actual god. Just because I have [Dragonbreak] nullified, doesn't mean I can spam the thing all I want; I can only use it twice without any side effects, more than that, then my mind turns into radioactive material."_ Issei goes into deep thought, murmuring the words out loud, which made Ophis slightly confused as the words go into her right ear, and exit through her left.

"...Ise, thinks too much." Ophis purposely said that to make Issei snap out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, umm...sorry." Issei apologized.

"Now, what do we do?" Ophis asked in curiosity.

"Eager to do something, huh? Must've been boring for you ever since I left."

"Very." Ophis agreed by smiling.

"Need to get Ddraig back, but I don't know where Akatosh even left him…"

"Ddraig, is at the Seventh Floor in Heaven. It, had been sealed ever since you died." Ophis's answer made Issei's jaw drop.

" _That's God's Throne! Akatosh, you trying to get me fucked already?!"_

"...This, isn't going to end well." Issei sighed.

"I, Disagree. I, like where this is going."

"Hey Ophis, have you ever tried to talk to Lilith, the other 'you'?" Issei changed the topic of the conversation, buying him some time to come up with a plan to enter Heaven.

"We, merged."

"You what?"

"Merged. I, am back to my full strength." Ophis said.

"...Seriously, what happened while I was gone?"

"Rias, married Riser Phenex." Ophis bluntly said. Whether Ophis was trying to trigger him, is unknown.

"I heard." seeing Issei's reaction, Ophis went into '?' mode, again.

"You are not angry. Strange."

"What happens, happens." Issei shrugged his shoulders, accepting the truth.

"...You, are different than before." Ophis pointed it out.

"Although I am still Hyoudou Issei, my morals have changed."

"Morals?"

"Yeah, morals."

"Do you still considered yourself to be the 'Oppai Dragon'?"

"...No."

-Line Break-

(Heaven's Gate)

A few hours had passed since Ophis found Issei, and it took awhile for them weigh their options, opportunities, and chance rate of success in getting Ddraig back. From what Ophis said, the [Boosted Gear] gauntlet is sealed in a pedestal at the Seventh Floor in Heaven, which is the central hub for the Sacred Gear system. Akatosh already told Issei that the [Boosted Gear] still considered to be his, due to him actually hacking the system (which caused the Seventh Floor to be sealed).

" _Akatosh does these type of thing on purpose; Ddraig could have just simply come with me, but because I needed to increase my individual powers, it was best to just leave him there. I-I...am afraid of what he has become...I'm sorry partner!"_

"Ise, what now?" Ophis asked excitedly, waiting to see what Issei had come up with.

"Lets just greet the guards first." Issei walked forward towards the gate of Heaven, with Ophis and Rassei following him behind. The gate consisted of several golden bars, each made with dense holy aura; the bars has a exquisite touch to it, like rubbing a finger against an expensive sports car. What lay behind it was a white stone paved path, buildings that are aligned which are made from stones, buildings that are floating in the sky, and Angels that have pure white wings that are moving within.

There was about sixteen Angels at the front gate, armed with light-based weaponry; some of the weapons were swords, spears, even some angels held bow and arrows. All of them had light to medium armor, and they seemed to be pretty powerful; Issei predicted that most of them had six wings or four wings, and one, most likely the leader, had eight.

" _That must be the leader, huh? She looks familiar."_ Issei, Ophis and Rassei had reached the checkpoint, and they were stopped by the eight winged angel.

"You three! I am afraid you can not gain entry, due to the problems in the Seventh Floor. Only personals, with the permission of the Seraphs, or Angels can enter. I am afraid that the rule cannot permit access to even the Dragon God, Ophis-sama and Rassei." the leader of the guards looked like she was from Northern Europe, and had features that were standing out like an actress. She had blue eyes, and has an appearance of a woman in her late 20's.

" _She seemed to know who Ophis and Rassei already."_

"You there, with the tattered jacket." the guard leader went up to Issei and inspected him in great detail.

"Y-You look very familiar young child. What's your name?" she asked politely. Her blue eyes sparkle with such curiosity, which made the brunette slightly blush upon realization of the guard leader's identity.

"Griselda Quarta, Ise wants to get in."

"O-Ophis…" due to Ophis's ignorance, she had accidentally revealed his identity. Griselda Quarta is the legal guardian of Xenovia Quarta, and Gabriel's Queen.

"I-Ise...as in Hyoudou Issei-sama?!" Griselda's reaction made the other fifthteen angels come towards Issei with their weapons.

"Quarta-sama, what's wrong!" one angel asked.

"N-Nothing is wrong, please everything is under control here."

"..." the Angels scanned at Issei with the same curiosity; although some of them realized how familiar he was, they could only wonder. After a seconds, they returned back to their post, shrugging their shoulders and letting Griselda handle the situation.

"...A-Are you truly Hyoudou Issei?" Griselda asked again.

"Y-Yes…" Issei blushed in embarrassment.

"My...now that I remember, you do actually look like him, just more taller; but I cannot just simply believe you without any proof. If you are truly Hyoudou Issei-sama, then you will be able to summon the [Boosted Gear] and have the Red Dragon Emperor explain what had happened during the fight against Trihexa."

"See, that's the thing...the [Boosted Gear] is sealed up in the Seventh Floor, after I died. I need to get it back."

"The situation about the Seventh Floor is common knowledge now, and the [Boosted Gear] being sealed up in there...Hmm...sounds like nonsense to me."

"W-What do you mean?" Issei asked.

"The [Boosted Gear] can't be sealed up in there, it is impossible. After the host dies, the Sacred Gear moves on to their next host. So the [Boosted Gear] being sealed up in the Seventh Floor is nonsense. Thus, regrettably, I can not believe your claims. Even if what you said is true, I can not simply just let you in…"

"I guess...oh, now that I think of it...you are the leader of the institution that Irina works in, correct? H-How is she?" he shyly asked.

"That is none of your concern. I advise you to leave now."

"Okay….since you don't want to talk about Irina, then how about Xenovia? How is she?"

"X-Xenovia...she has seen better days. W-Wait, you're trying to trick me, are you?"

"N-No, I am just curious."

"Are you perhaps pursuing both of them?"

"Why would I even think of such a thing! I have been-"

"Silence. Ophis-sama, I advise you to leave now. Although you might have gotten your powers back, you cannot take on the entire Heaven forces."

"Do not tempt me." Ophis coldly said, as she rises her aura.

"Griselda, you are making this more difficult than it already is...please just let me through." upon hearing his plea, Griselda armed herself with a light sword, and got into her battle stance.

"For your sake, I advise you to leave. Now." Griselda's arua rose to intimidate Issei, although it didn't work.

"Fine." Issei decided to turned around, and made a tactical retreat with Ophis and Rassei following him behind. They went a few miles away from the gate.

"What, now?" Ophis asked.

"We'll just gonna have to go through with the original plan. Come on Ophis, Rassei, hop on my back." Issei knelt down, allowing Ophis to climb. Rassei flew and land on top of his head.

"I, like piggyback rides. Especially, if it's Ise I am riding on."

"O-Ophis, refrain yourself in making statements that might lead to a misunderstanding."

" _Here we go!"_ Issei proceeds to run at full speed towards the gate. The sixteen angels saw a trail of smoke, heading towards them.

"W-What is that?" one of the angels asked.

"EXCUSE US~!" yelling like a madman, Issei startled the angels; by instinct, all of them went into formation, attempting to stop Issei at any cost...only to be simply run over and roll like bowling pins. Issei successfully busted open the gate, with the cost of his right arm turning numb.

" _Shit, should've use [Dragon Aspect] on my right arm."_ he thought.

The Angels were already recovering and planned to chase after Issei.

"Hey, hey! What's going on?" the other angels that inside the gate were shocked and curious about the situation that had happened.

"Ise, I, suggest you run."

"Agreed! Hold on tight!" grabbing Ophis with his left arm, Issei continues on the white stone path towards the Seventh Floor. Rassei also followed behind.

* * *

Part 2

The chase was on.

Issei, Ophis and Rassei (mainly Issei, since Rassei was on top of his head, and Ophis was riding on his back) ran for their lives towards the Seventh Floor. Many angry Angels pursed them like criminals, throwing spears and arrows at them. Some of the projectiles pierced some of Issei's skin, and the exposed blood slowly drip, painting the pure white stone path red.

Issei's right arm did not get any better; instead, it got worse, and he felt something displaced in his forearm. Ignoring the pain, he continued to run.

"Ise, that way." Ophis gave directions and Rassei used some his lightning abilities to repel the attacks from the Angels.

After a few minutes of running, Issei outran the Angels, but his blood left a trail behind, and it is only a matter of time before they catch up.

" _I'm almost there, I just know it!"_ judging from his surroundings, he was at the Fifth Floor, where Heaven created most of their technology, like the Brave Saint system and the Interdimension Room. The elevator to the Sixth Floor was dead ahead.

"Stop." a stern voice echoed inside the facility Issei was currently at. Immediately recognizing that voice, he stopped; he wanted to reason with the Angels, not make enemies.

"You have gone too far, Ophis." a handsome-looking man with long blond hair and green eyes appeared behind the elevator to the Sixth Floor. He had twelve wings growing from his back, and unlike other Angels whose wings are white, his wings are colored gold.

"Micheal, long time no see."

"You there, with the tattered jacket. I suggest you give up now, and I will consider your injuries to be treated."

"I'll accept the offer...after I get Ddraig back."

"..." Michael ready himself for battle, spawning light spears at his command. He seemed to only aim at the legs and arms.

"Why does my return has to be so chaotic…"

Issei unsealed [Dawnbreaker], and hold it firmly against his front side. He was clearly at a disadvantage, with his right arm disable.

" _The Ferocity form of the Akaviri School. Michael will throw those spears, and I need to repel every single one of them; I need to make sure I angle [Dawnbreaker] correctly, or I might reflect the spear back to him."_

"Ophis, Rassei. Stand back." Issei warned.

Issei then fully concentrated in his surroundings, as he slowly closed his eyes and cleared his mind, to only channel his own inner darkness. His draconic aura rose, causing Heaven to shake slightly due to how fragile it is towards evil; even Issei is holding back how much aura he should release. The Ferocity form is more a state of mind technique, rather than just a fighting style.

"I hope you are prepared." Michael outstretched his hand forward towards him, commanding the spears. In an instant, the spears move at a high velocity, and Issei was just barely able to start his defense.

" _Shit!"_ the first spear cut through his jacket on the right side of his abdomen; it didn't stab him, but it was enough for the scars to re-open. After the first spear, Issei started his defense on the upcoming barrage of light spears.

Only focusing on his inner darkness and blade maneuvering, he defected the light spears, leaving multiple afterimages of his sword. In Michael's eyes, it seemed that Issei was wielding many swords at once. The Archangel increased the velocity of the spears and the quantity, hoping that it will be enough to out maneuver his opponent. In response, Issei kept up with the pace, releasing some more of his aura as he does so.

The duel became a battle of wits and patience. The person to slow down loses.

Issei was obviously losing; his fast movements had reopened all of his scars. He might be able to keep up with Michael, but it is only a matter of time before he passes out due to the loss of blood.

Seconds turned into minutes, and Issei was wearing down.

"ENOUGH!" in a spite of rage, Issei lost all of his patience. The twelve orange draconic wings appear on his back, and his aura exploded, causing all of Michael's spears to dematerialized. Stun at the spectacular performance his opponent had done, Michael forgot that he had angered a Dragon Demi God.

In a speed of light, Issei appeared behind him without Michael even sensing his presence. He felt a tab behind his spine, and as he turned around, he saw the cold, orange eyes filled with on what he what called it: 'Season Unending'.

A magic rune with the same design on the back of his tattered jacket, Issei unleashed his first ever attack since he returned. Michael, seemly interested in the attack, braced himself for the impact.

What he didn't expect was how effective it was on binding him.

" [Mortal's Curse!] "

"W-What?!" upon hearing the spell's name, Michael, all of the sudden, felt an immense pull, which brung him down to his knees.

"W-What do you?" he asked in curiosity. He tried to use his wings to fly, but he could not do so.

"Mortal's Curse is a form of light magic; it is something so utterly incomprehensible to an immortal, that the power tears at their very soul, breaking their concentration enough so they cannot focus on flying, thus the reason of it's name. Only people who studied the Akaviri school can learn this, and it seems that I am the only one who has access to their scrolls…"

"How creative, indeed. But...I am still able to use my powers. And it seems that the magic has a time limit."

"True, but you won't be able to catch up to me."

"...!? So all the long, you focusing on the Seventh Floor, instead of defeating me...that aura you released-"

"I am not planning to fight anybody...I'm only trying to get my life back on its feet." Issei turned away from the Archangel, signalizing Ophis and Rassei to come along.

"Whatever you are after… we will stop you." Michael declared.

"Hyoudou Issei, isn't after anything. He, only wants to return to the ones he cherishes." Ophis stated.

-Line Break-

It was an hour ever since Issei succeeded in gaining access to the gate (through sheer force), and he ran for his life alongside with Ophis and Rassei. Navigating the roads of Heaven was extremely tricky, and with the angels at the highest alert, it was almost impossible for him to stop and think about which path he had to take. The reason why Heaven was at such an extreme state is that there was still buildings that needed repairs from the [Evil Dragon] campaign, and the fear of beings that know the truth about God might damage the system even further.

Finally, after being chased by the Angels and outrunning them, Issei, Ophis and Rassei finally found the door to the Seventh Floor.

"Fuck~!" he cussed in pain, as his right arm was in serious condition. Not only he could not move his right arm, it was in extreme pain; swelling, inflammation, and broken bones were the main causes, but other parts of his body were bleeding as well. His scars from his previous training sessions were reopened, thus resulted in him losing a lot of blood.

"Ise, is hurt."

"No shit~! It was a dumb idea to bust open the gate like a jackass! We should have just flew over it!"

"..."

"O-Ophis, I didn't mean too- Ugh, Fuck~!"

"Ise, can be treated, if he turns himself over to the Angels."

"Yeah, seems like that is my only option. But first…" Issei walked over to the door, and unsealed it by saying a phrase in the Dovahzul language that Akatosh had told him to use.

"...Ful-Kos-Nii." (T/N: So be it) upon saying the phrase, a sudden quake occurred, shaking the clouds and the buildings blow his feet. Many Angels were panicking, covering their heads and getting themselves to safety. After a few minutes, the door magically opened and the quake stopped.

"What, did you say?" Ophis asked.

"Amen." (A/N: Amen means 'so be it', so, the password was Amen in Dovahzul, strange enough).

Upon going through the door, the trio was greeted with many flights of stairs.

"..." Issei's face turn completely distorted.

"I, can carry Ise."

"...You sure?"

"Yes."

"...Fine. Lend me your shoulder." upon his request, Ophis shapeshift into a bigger version of her loli self. Issei immediately wrapped his damaged arm around her neck, much to his displeasure, and they proceeded to walk forward.

" _...This reminds me of that time…when Ophis had to help me when I came to rescue her from that shitty fake Maou."_

 **[Partner! It's almost time! Azazel and the others are probably about to open the Dragon Gate for us! Then the only thing left for them is to summon us!]**

" _...Oi, Oi…this is not the time to have flashbacks…"_

"…Hey Ophis."

"?"

"I-I am grateful to be your first friend…"

"Ise-nii will always be my first."

"...cough, cough...Hey, what did I say about say making comments that might lead to a misunderstanding…?"

 **[Partner, get a hold of yourself! Everyone is waiting for you!]**

"...Hey Ophis...did you know that I-" as Issei tried to speak, he coughed out some blood, cutting off some of the words he had said.

"...I can see...that beautiful chestnut hair…" Issei stumble upon a staircase, and almost fell. Rassei and Ophis had to straighten him, and they continue forward.

"….I always wanted to sorry...for neglecting her….she, out of everyone….she…."

 **[Let's go home! Partner! What are you doing! Stand up! You always stood up!]**

"...Shut up Ddraig….stop crying like a baby…."

"Rassei, Ise-nii is at his limits. Let us get Ddraig as quickly as possible."

"...Hey Rassei….how much did Asia cry...when she heard that I was dead…? ...I wonder how Akeno is doing so far…. I wonder what type of look would Koneko give me when I see her…? ….Is Ravel-chan going to lecture me again…? ….Rossweisse might smack me for destroying her nordic charm….and Kiba will ramble about how I was reckless…. Vali, Sairaorg, Cao Cao would most definitely try to get me accept their challenges…. I will…. I will…."

" _...I will keep my promise to Irina…!"_

* * *

 _ **Afterword**_

 _ **A/N: Yo, yo! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Need to do some explaining~!**_

 _ **Issei's Injuries- During the one year training with Akatosh, Issei had no medical attention, thus his injuries were treated by himself, which….let just say he most definitely does not qualify to be a Doctor. Akatosh did not heal him either, since he wanted Issei to improve his survival skills.**_

 _ **Nullified [Dragonbreak]- Issei is only limited to use two [Dragonbreaks] without any consequences. This is to prevent him from spamming the power up and rely on his new skills and the [Boosted Gear], and also to prevent him from getting more OP than he already is. He can get more uses by absorbing dragon souls.**_

 _ **Ddraig- The Ddraig quotes above are flashbacks of when Issei was dying from Samuel's Curse; it was to simulate the similarities between the last scene and the scene from 'Vol.11 Lost Life…'**_

 _ **If there are any other things that might confuse you, send a PM! Thus the chapters of July ends, and forward we go to August!**_


	16. Hospitalized, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Dream

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

 _ **A/U: Welcome to the first chapter of August 2017!**_

 _ **We reached 200 followers! Hoooo leeeeeee Shit! I never thought that I would reach that number by mid summer vacation! Thank you all for reviewing and following, it supports me!**_

 _ **Some of the details you will read, might be incredibly disturbing (it is rated M for a reason!). Just a heads up: If you had not seen the prologue of Enderal: An overhaul mod for skyrim, and if you're interested or don't want any spoilers, please stop reading, go watch it or play it on PC if you desire; some of the content is heavily inspired by the intro of Enderal. If you don't care about such things and just want to read the story, please read on!**_

 _ **This is the second time I will be using soundtracks for certain parts in this story; I recommend you to hear the music after you read, or whatever way is comfortable for you. Of course, the music name will be displayed when you reach that part of the chapter. Like always, the music is optional, but it will increase the atmosphere. If you guys really like it, just say so in the review and I'll do this more often (not every chapter, just when the moment needs a 'cherry' on top).**_

 _ **Not every chapter, like this one, is going to have an Afterword part. If you find something that might need explanation, just PM me or leave a review.**_

 _ **Some of you guys might find the pacing of the story to be extremely slow, and I am aware of it. Just trying to establish my AU, and keeping it as DxD friendly as I can. There will be some conflict coming up, and I left a hint in this chapter. If you can't find it, just PM me or leave a review.**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters! Also, I am not infiltrated with any of the members of the Enderal modding project, nor did I partake in the making of the music that I will be using.**_

 _ **Enjoy~! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

Hospitalized, Arc II

Part 1

 _The summer breeze slowly crept up to his skin, giving him a pleasant sensation as he laid on the green grass; it was hot, the temperature was above 26 degrees celsius, and he was parched from the lack of water. It was a difficult decision for him to leave his current spot to get some water; he was comfortable, protected by the shadows of the trees, giving him shade from the rays of the burning sun, and allowing the gentle breeze to cool him. But his throat felt something pointy, as if a needle was piercing inside. Every time he swallowed his saliva to attempt to somehow ease his thirst, it only bothered him further._

 _He narrowed his brown eyes towards the little girl he was with. She was around his age, and had a blue sleeveless shirt, with 'Angel Mode' written on the front side and the letter 'A' written on the back, with two pair of wings inscribed in it. She wore black shorts, and their were short enough for him to see her white, soft skin. Her footwear consisted of pink sandals, which did not match her cool color clothing. Her chestnut hair was tied into pigtails, with blue scrunchies on each tail. Her violet eyes were staring at him, longingly, as if waiting for him to say something._

" _Hey, do you have some water with you?" he asked, expecting his female childhood friend to answer 'yes'. She puffed her cheeks, and angrily glared at him._

" _Mou, I am not a vending machine~! You should have told your father to give you a water bottle before we left!" she pouted, due to his denseness. She wanted him to complement her hairstyle that she worked so hard for; it took her about a year to grow it out. Hearing her pout like that, it was amusing to him; he thought it was cute, seeing her annoyed or embarrassed. The maple haired boy chuckled, making the chestnut haired girl even more annoyed._

" _Hmph! H-Here, have some of mines…" she reached out her hand to him, holding the water bottle. Without a second thought, he took it from her hands, and drank it. The cold water graced his lips, softening his tongue as it pours down towards his vocal cords; the needle sensation was gone, and his throat no longer felt dried. The chestnut haired girl blushed, as the maple haired boy continued to drink the water, not realizing that not only he had an indirect kiss, but also drank the water that was backwashed by her._

" _Thanks Irina-chan, I thought I was gonna die of thirst." the maple haired boy smiled innocently, as he hand back the water bottle._

" _I-Ise-kun...I didn't know you can be so dense…" she whispered to herself, fidgeting her fingers as her thoughts were clouded; she imagined her lips touching his, instead of the water bottle. Her face turned red, and faced her eyes away from him._

" _Irina-chan, don't tell me you backwashed…" Issei's raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Irina didn't say anything, as her face turns even redder._

" _Baka! I did not expect you to drink it!" she yelled, which caused Issei to sigh in exhaustion._

" _I was feeling parched, didn't have time to even think about anything else but water. You should have told me that you backwashed."_

" _Mou, so what if I did backwash? I bet the water tasted horrible, didn't it?!" she said angrily. She turned her head the other way, while giving a "hmph!"._

" _Oi, oi, don't be such a tsundere. T-To be honest...now that I know you're a girl...I-I really don't mind…" he blushed, scratching his head._

" _R-Really?" she asked in astonishment, as she closed the gap between them unconsciously; once she realized how close her hand was to his, her heart started to skip a beat. The urge to hold his hand was rising, so she grab her left hand to prevent it from happening._

" _Yeah…" he answered truthfully._

" _You're not lying to me, are you?" her amethyst like eyes turn wet and twinkled, as she gave a saddening expression. She seemed to be very persuasive, as Issei nodded his head._

" _Pinkie promise. I...I-I like how the water tasted!" he blurted._

" _...Mou, you pervert!"_

" _W-Well, I needed to say that for you to believe me."_

" _Ise-kun, you're promise is enough for me to believe you; there was no need for you to say such unnecessary things. ...But I really like that side of you though…"_

" _What side of me?" he asked._

" _Y-You are honest about almost everything. ...Well, besides those naughty magazines you keep under your bed."_

" _I-Irina-chan...have you been looking through my things again?"_

" _I-It's my duty to check my best friend's things!"_

" _Oh damn it, I hope you didn't snitch on my parents…" Issei held his head in grief, trying to not think of the punishments that will be in store for him, if Irina told his parents about his secret stash of porn magazines._

" _I won't...if you answer my question." Irina teased, making the young Issei suck his teeth in annoyance; when Irina had an upper advantage, she usually play games that resulted in Issei being forced to comply._

" _Don't worry, it is just a simple question~!" she winked towards him, causing the maple haired boy to grumble._

" _Sigh...fine, what is the question?" Issei sighed in defeat, as he prepared himself to be completely humiliated._

" _...D-Did you noticed anything different about me, ever since I left for England two years ago?" she asked shyly, once again fidgeting her fingers. Issei was surprised to hear Irina ask a very simple question; most of the time before she left for England, she either ask questions or suggest dares that usually made him go through hell._

" _T-That is an easy question! Are you sure you want to ask-"_

" _Mou! I'm sure! J-Just...give me your answer." Irina commanded, losing her patience. He looked at Irina in great detail, examining every curve, size and bust. She had grown a bit taller since the past two years, and she has gain a little more fat. Her hair has grown exponentially, and she acts more like a young pretty lady, instead of a tomboy. With Issei starting at her vigorously, Irina was sweating profoundly. She was worried that Issei might say something hurtful._

" _...You look more like a girl than two years ago… I like your hairstyle, it really suits the current you!"_

" _Really?!" surprised to hear his compliment, Irina gained a little more confidence in herself and moved closer to him._

" _Yeah, you look cuter! The only downside is that you act like tsundere, which is kinda annoying, and I also have this suspicious feeling... well never mind. What about me? Have I changed since the past two years?" he asked._

" _Yes. You have become a pervert." upon hearing his answer, Issei's heart sank all the way to the bottom._

" _C-Come on Irina-chan..." disappointed with her answer, Issei puffed his cheeks, much to her amusement._

" _No excuses! You need to change those habits, starting today! They are not healthy for your age!" she commanded._

" _B-But a woman's body is very beautiful and-"_

" _Mou, there is more to a maiden's heart then just looks! From now on, you are not allowed to look at any girl, until you find better habits!" she said. Issei then nodded his head, and turned away from her. Irina rolled her eyes, and did the same._

 _A few minutes have passed, and Issei still hadn't said a word, which made Irina restless. She asked a question to strike up a conversation._

" _I-Ise-kun, what would you like for dinner?"_

" _I don't know, really. But I would like some cheesecake for dessert." he responded, still not looking towards her direction._

" _H-Hey, did your parents ever taught you to face someone when having a conversation?" she insulted him._

" _It was you who told me to not look at any girl, until I fixed my habits."_

" _-?!" hearing his logic, Irina felt something poking around her heart. It was the first time her words were actually backfired._

" _I meant-" she tried to come up with an excuse, but Issei interjected._

" _Irina-chan, you are girl too. Unless you want me to check, and see for myself-"_

" _Hentai!" she wanted to cry, to call him an 'idiot' and just smack him; but that wasn't the answer to everything, and if she did that, then Issei most likely will end up hating her. She wanted him to understand that a woman's heart, more specifically her heart, is more than just lust. Suddenly, her body started to twitch, her heart started beat faster, and all she can think about was him. It was rare occasion for her to feel desire, and it was only when she was around him, but she never felt so desperate, as if her body was telling her to 'go for it!', to make her childhood love understand how much she actually loved him. She blushed heavily, as she grab his sleeve to get his attention, and it worked. Issei turned his head around in confusion, to only find a tomato faced Irina on the verge of crying._

" _...I-I want you to look at me, love me, and only me…" she blurted with all her strength. When his eye widen in surprise, her confidence shattered away like glass._

 _Issei's heart throbs painfully. He didn't know what to do at first, since his mind was malfunctioning and cannot process on what just happened. When he saw her tears pouring down, he had only one option:_

 _In just a split second, he kissed her. It wasn't as passionate as he saw in his porn magazines, since he lacked the experience, but he felt it. The softness of her lips, and the warmth it had. He had no idea why kissing her would make things better (in fact, he believed he made things worse, since he thought he took her first kiss), but Irina's face completely changed. Her frown turned into a bright smile, and her tears became the tears of joy._

" _So you really like me after all…" she blew her nose with her handkerchief, and Issei giggled in embarrassment._

" _...Who wouldn't?" he said._

" _...hehehe. I would have never imagined that we would kiss a second time." she slipped out something that she didn't meant to say just yet._

" _What do you mean a second time?" he asked._

" _Ise-kun~! Irina-chan~!" As Irina was about to answer, a man with priest clothing and the same color hair as Irina's called out their names. It was time for them to go home._

" _Next time I will tell you, Ise-kun. I promise."_

 _-Line Break-_

" _Take care of yourself, young man. Irina-chan will come and play with you again tomorrow!" Touji waved goodbye as he drove off in his black Mustang. Irina open the car window, and blew a kiss towards Issei. He caught the kiss with his hand, and pressed it against his lips and waved back. He saw the car go off in the distance, until they were no longer in his view of vision._

 _Touji dropped him off a block away from his house, so he had to walk a few feet. Everything was going unexpectedly well for him, so it would not be a surprise if anybody saw him smiling. He saw his father outside of the house, waiting for his return. Just as Issei was about to greet him, the atmosphere quickly changed once he enter the radius of his house._

 _He felt heavier, as if his body had gain some extra weight. His stomach sudden starts to have a minor ache, and he felt something sinister inside his house. Upon entering the door, he greet his father._

" _Hello, Otou-san."_

" _You seem to came quite late today; I hope you had some fun with Irina-chan! So, did you find the book?" asked Otou-san._

 _His father questioned him about his retrieval of the book. Issei went into deep thought about the book, then realized that he forgotten about it due to his distraction._

" _Oh...I completely forgot about it. What was the book called again?"_

" _The Nutritiousness of Meat._ _Meh, it's okay, you were probably just having a lot of fun and just forgot about it, and I don't blame you!" his father gave a nudge and winked. Issei blushed, which made his father laugh, much to his embarrassment._

" _I won't forget next time."_

" _Do not worry so much about it, for now, go to the kitchen and help mother with the meat. Oh, and your little sister is also waiting for you too. She was jealous that her Onii-chan was having fun without her." he said energetically._

" _Okay…?" Issei raised an eyebrow in suspicion. As far as he could remember, he actually never had a little sister. Otou-san patted his back, reassuring him that everything was fine._

" _Be thankful son! The creator has given me a big fat elk, right in front of my bow! Now run along and go help with mother." he said._

 _Issei was now completely dumbfounded; an elk in Japan? That was something unnatural. And he used a bow to kill the elk? Why not just use a rifle? Also, the closest thing that his father had even gotten to hunting, is fishing…_

 _Issei shrugged his shoulders, letting go of his suspicions and headed towards the kitchen._

 _When he entered the hallway, he inhaled the oxygen and found it to be even more heavier than outside. Before he knew it, he found himself breathing a bit faster, and using more force to simply walk down a hallway. There was a eerie feeling going about, but yet, he cannot place his finger on it. It made him cautious, it made him feel uncomfortable. He thought it was just him, since he did wanted to be with Irina, for just a bit longer._

 _On his way to the kitchen, he spotted his mother, sitting on chair in front of a piano. It seems like she about to play something, and that made Issei stop in his tracks. He was interested in what she about to play. He then noticed that the piano seemed to be dusty, which he found strange; it was common sense to dust the piano, before playing it. After thinking some more, he realized something even more disturbing:_

 _His mother never owned, nor played the piano._

 _(Enderal Soundtrack- Fleshless (Piano Version))_

 _She started to play with her left hand, lightly pressing her fingers on the notes, creating a lullaby of some sorts. Issei never heard anybody play this song, not that he actually hears classical music. Upon reaching the end of the lullaby, she then gently ran her fingers across the piano, pressing the slightly deeper notes, then proceeded to play the same lullaby again, with both hands._

 _When reaching the end of the lullaby again, she then plays more freely. Her hands move swiftly, pressing each note without any mistakes. When Issei saw her play more freely, he felt as if a burden had been lifted. He enjoyed the music, as he closed his eyes and imagine being with Irina._

 _She reached the end of the cord, and stopped for a split second. Issei thought she was finished, then she played the same lullaby again, this time with more force and concentration. Issei felt like the burden had returned, this time it was unbearable. The notes on the piano were causing him to feel on edge, as if something drastic was about to happen. His felt his heart at his throat, and the air, all of the sudden, turned into carbon dioxide. It was as if he was slowly suffocating from the notes._

 _He looked at his mother's eyes, and found them to be hollow; no shed of light, no love, no hatred, they were just simply empty. Her skin was pale, cold to the touch. Her fingernails had cracks, and her fingers itself had scabs and scars decorated all around. The color of her lipgloss was black, and the clothing she weared was black as well._

 _It was not an understatement: she looked like a corpse. As the song was reaching it's end, she slowly faded away. Before she completely disappeared, she looked towards her son, her blessed son…_

" _Sosaal…." a bone chilling whisper reached his ears, and it's source was from her._

 _(End of Soundtrack)_

 _Issei was sweaty and his hands were shaky. The ache in his stomach grew; he felt the pounding of his heart, ready to burst in any second. The air intoxicated him, as if somebody was slowly tightening a noose around his neck. Despite those horrendous conditions, he could not help his curiosity get the best of him. He spotted a book where his ghostly mother was sitting before she faded into the atmosphere. He read the title:_

 _The Nutritiousness of Meat._

 _Opening the book was quite a task for him, for his hands could not relax. He kept flipping to the bank pages in the back, and it aggravated him tremendously. After a few minutes in attempting to open to the first page, he only found a few paragraphs typed, and the rest of the pages were blank. Disturbingly, the paragraphs were written in some front that Issei clearly recognized. He wondered how the book got published with so little writing, and how people could even read it. Upon reading, he noticed how the author was very detailed about human flesh, and the consumption of human flesh._

 _He read the last sentence, and it stated:_

 _[Nuz ol mu los nahl ko tiid ko naak braan los nun ol ni qurnen, mu, fahdon do sus sliin, lost wah feymah fah raanuv gein.]_

" _Ise? What are you standing there for? Let's go to the kitchen." Otou-san said. Issei did not even question him in what was happening, and did what he told him._

 _He entered the kitchen with his father, and found the dead elk on the table. It's lifeless eyes beamed at Issei, and it's mouth was wide open with it's oddly sharp tongue, dangling on the edge of the table. The smell of excrement and piss was present, and it only tighten the imaginary noose around Issei's neck. The urge to throw up grew within him, as he gagged and covered his mouth, because of the unbearable stench._

" _Oh my! Look at the mess I made! Oh well, since I'm hungry let's start cutting the elk and get dinner ready. Ise, you do remember how to do this right? First cut the belly, then out with the intestines." his father handed over a knife to him, and expected him to do just that._

" _Otou-san...where's imouto and Okaa-san?" he asked._

" _What?" he looked at him in surprise, then shrugged it off by laughing._

" _Don't you remember? You killed them. Both of them."_

" _Huh?"_

" _Let's not worry about that, Ise. It's more meat for the two of us, right?" his father smile innocently._

" _Otou-san...I didn't kill them." Issei said, but...it wasn't what he wanted to say. It was as if he was forced to say that._

" _Not this again…" his father put his hand over his face in annoyance._

" _Come on Ise, stop with the lies; you always do this every time we have dinner. You know you killed them, I remember it all. When you burned down the old house, your sister was still a baby in a crib, which you set on fire. Okaa-san tried to save her, b-but...by the time she got there...she was nothing but b-burnt flesh and….Oh! You know how sad it makes me when you do this! You killed them, end of story! Now let's get to cutting, I'm so damn hungry!" he demanded._

" _Father...it wasn't me who killed them! It was the masked men!" once again, Issei was focused into saying that. His father angrily glared at him._

" _Oh...how many fucking times do I have to hear your whining? Is it enough that you killed us!?"_

" _Father I-" he tried to repeat the same plea again, but his father interjected._

" _You know...sometimes I just wish that the creator would've made me less...merciful. Instead of raising you, feeding you, and loving you like a father...I should've realized that you were tainted by sin long ago. I should've just thrown you off a cliff. Yes...I should've kill you...I should've just fucking kill you. LIKE YOU KILLED US! Now you think you're safe because we're all under the ground!? Well listen up my child! You wrong, you hear me? You're wrong! Because the dead don't forget, you hear me! The dead don't forget! Now enough of this useless chatter, I'm fucking starving! Bring me the meat you spoiled brat, bring it to me!" Issei didn't respond, as he saw his father hop onto the table, bent over towards the elk, tear the flesh and eat it raw._

 _He chanted the next following words with hatred and suffering:_

 _["Bring me a nice crisp piece of meat! Bring me a nice crisp piece of meat! Bring me a nice crisp piece of meat! Bring me a nice crisp piece of meat! Bring me a nice crisp piece of meat! Bring me a nice crisp piece ofmea-"]_

* * *

Part 2

(Fallout NV Soundtrack- Out of Business)

He woke up screaming, with tears on his eyes and fear in his heart. In the first time in his life, he had never dreamt about his parents in such a state. It was horrible.

He felt nauseous, he felt unsafe. The stark smell of bleach was overwhelming, and only increased his nausea. He scrunched his eyelids, and wiped the tears off. He was temporarily blinded by the bright light that was sipping through his closed eyelids. He felt powerless and heavy. After struggling to get his body to sit and straighten up, he noticed that bandages were applied to his scars, and wires on his body connecting to the monitors. He slowly started blinking, desperately trying to open his eyes and see what was around him.

"Where the fuck am I?" he asked himself, as the blinding light slowly subsided. He looked around at his surroundings, and realized that he was at the hospital.

The room was pristine clean and gloomy. Typical hospital bed, IV and monitors beeping. The walls were a sickly green color and the linens were grayish. The place looked nothing like a room where a patient should be motivated to get better. Unfortunately, the murky room only seem to make him feel more on edge.

He calmed down by pinching himself, making sure that this was in fact reality. The slight pain a was a huge relief for him. Sweat drip from his chin, and his nose was stuffed. He grabbed some tissues, blew his nose, and wiped his face.

Not remembering what exactly happened during his infiltration on the Seventh Floor, Issei put his hand over his head and try to remember what exactly happened.

 **[Easy there...relax.]** a recognizable voice told him. Issei turned towards the red gauntlet on his arm. He didn't show any reaction to it. He narrowed his eyes towards the doorknob, which was turning.

"So, that screaming was from you. Interesting." A bewitchingly beautiful and attractive young man entered the room. He appeared in his early twenties, with light blue eyes and green hair that is slicked back. He has a mysterious aura around him, which made Issei's nausea disappear. He instantly knew who this person was, but he does not have the strength to react.

"...Sorry for the inconvenience, Ajuka." Issei responded with a low tone.

"Calling me by my first name, and not using formalities? How bold you have become, Ise. You know Sirzechs is the only person who is allowed to say my first name." Ajuka warned. His face was stern, and the look in his eye convinced Issei to heeded his warning, and apologize.

"My bad." upon his apology, Ajuka's face softened, and gave a mischievous smile.

"Now, now, I was just kidding. Besides, I think you deserve my friendship, after everything that had happened."

"So, why are you here?" Issei went straight to the chase.

"The doctors here wanted me to give you a psychological evaluation."

"Psychological Evaluation?"

"It's to check if you haven't gone insane since the past year. Of course, they are not doubting your mentality, they just want to make sure you are safe and healthy. So, ready to get started, or you want to ask some questions?" Ajuka asked. Issei raised an eyebrow in curiosity, as Ajuka did not question his legitimacy, nor attempted to interrogate him.

"Ajuka- I mean, Beelzebub-sama, how do you know I am the real Issei?"

"Huh? Now you start using formalities? Just kidding, just kidding. Well, it's obvious, since you got Ddraig from the Seventh Floor and fixed the major problem in Heaven." Ajuka chucked, which made Issei lift up his eyebrow even higher.

"What the hell happen?"

"You passed out, due to blood loss. Ophis and Rassei managed to get the [Boosted Gear] into you, before Michael entered. Those two dragons immediately convinced Michael that you were actually Issei, and when we told him that we have 100 percent confirmation, heh, his face turned completely white."

"Not much detail than I anticipated, but everything worked out in the end. That's good."

"Oh? What were you expecting?"

"Heh, I was expecting to be in a torture chamber, somewhere in an abandoned church. Not that I wanted that to happen."

"Are you ready for the test, or you still have more questions?"

"I guess I am ready."

"Just give me a second, need to get my pen ready. All right. I'm going to say a word. I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind. Got it?"

Issei nodded his head.

(A/N: The word that Ajuka says are in [brackets], and Issei's response are in "quotations".)

[Angel.]

"Lover."

[Devil.]

"Friend."

[Fallen Angel.]

"Mentor."

[Evil Dragon.]

"Devour."

[Exorcist.]

"Ignorant."

[Priest.]

"Teacher."

[Mother.]

"Caretaker."

"Interesting. Okay, let's get onto the second part of the test. Ready?"

"Yep." Issei nodded.

"Okay. Now I've got a few statements. I want you to tell me how much they sound like something you'd say."

(A/N: The statements that Ajuka say are in [brackets], and Issei's response are in "quotations".)

[Conflict just ain't in my nature.]

"No opinion."

[Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels should forget about their past conflicts, and focus on maintaining a healthy alliance.]

"Strongly agree."

[Terrorists and other criminals should be given a second chance, given their circumstances.]

"Agree."

[I'm slow to embrace new ideas.]

"Strongly disagree."

[High-Class Devils or above, should be punished if their servant/servants were treated harshly.]

"Agree."

[I do not approve discrimination between species, social class, and ability.]

"Strongly agree."

Ajuka wrote down all of his responses in the document.

"Well Ise, based on your responses, you seem pretty normal. I mean, mentally."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing, really. I, myself, know that you are completely fine. All you need to do, is rest and heal. Unfortunately, your blood type is…one of a kind, so we cannot perform blood transfusion. The only way for you to gain back the lost blood, is by eating protein and drinking enough fluids."

"How many days do I need to stay in the hospital?"

"2 more days. Unfortunately, you are going have to watch the closing ceremony of the World Rating Game Tournament through television. Actually, to be honest, that might be a blessing, since many of the top competitors, won't say any names, might harass you into fighting them."

"I agree. I had enough bullshit for the entire week." Issei sighed.

"Since I am here now, might as well ask you this: Ise, do you want to become a Devil again?" Ajuka asked. Issei's eyes widen at the question, but he already knew his answer.

"Do you have a new set of pawns?"

"Yes, and they are all mutated. All you need to do, is insert your power into them, and you can be Rias's pawn again." Ajuka summon a magic circle, which spawned a box. He opened them, and eight red pawns appeared in front of Issei's face. Issei took them, and inserted his power.

In result, a flashing orange light appeared, blinding Ajuka.

A few seconds had passed, the blinding light subsided, and Ajuka focused on Issei's palm, only finding the pawns turned into dust. His 12 orange draconic wings appeared, which made Issei feel cramped.

"Sadly, looks like my existence is beyond the power of eight mutated pieces. My answer is no, I will stay as a Dragon Humanoid."

"Those wings…" Ajuka was stun at the sight.

"Only descendants of the Lucifer Household, Azazel and the Four Great Seraphs have twelve wings. Well, looks like that myth is busted."

"...You have spark my interest, Issei. So, the reason why the pawns turned into dust is because you are a Dragon God?"

"You are half correct; I am a Dragon Demi-God. Like I said before, I will stay as a Dragon Humanoid. But yes, my existence is beyond the power of the [Evil Pieces], or the [Brave Saint] system."

"I have more questions about this subject, but for now, I will postpone them for the Summit of the Three Factions, which will be held in 4 days. I, and everyone, would be most please and appreciative if you come."

"Alright."

"Then I'll take my leave. Oh, you have a very special visitor, and she is very eager to see you again, and possibly, work with you again."

"Oh? Who is this special visitor?"

"I'll let your imagination run wild." Ajuka said, as he got up and walked out the room.

(End of soundtrack)

 **[Oi, asshole.]**

"Ah, what's up Ddraig?"

 **[Don't give me that shite, you cunt!]**

"Why are you so hostile?"

 **[...Wah!]**

"Ddraig, are you crying?"

 **[...Sniff… No shit, sherlock! Where's my 'welcome back'?! Do you know how it feels to be lonely for an entire year?!]**

"I can relate."

 **[...Sniff…]**

"…S-Sorry. Glad to have you back, partner." Just as Ddraig was about give a mouthful of insults and complaints to Issei, there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Hyoudou Issei-sama, are you currently busy? You have a visitor." said the nurse.

"Ah, they can come in." Issei responded. The grumpy, angry Ddraig had to postpone his wrath for later.

The door opened, revealing the 'special visitor' that Ajuka was talking about. Upon seeing her face, Issei's jaw dropped.

A beautiful, young girl with dark blue eyes and long blonde hair. Her hair was tied into twintails with large, drill-like curls and blue ribbons keeping them in place. The front of her hair has several bangs hanging over her forehead, with a V-shaped fringe hanging over the bridge of her nose.

Her outfit consisted of a light purple dress with dark purple accents and a blue bow at the front. At the back, three feather-like extensions mimicking a bird's tail protrude from the dress, which, when combined with her wings, give her a bird-like appearance.

When the nurse shut the door behind her, Issei felt that he was not prepared for the upcoming session. A very, very long session.


	17. Underworld Politics, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Television/Titles

 _ **A/N: Hey, what's up guys? I would like to apologize for the delay, just had some difficulties with this chapter. But by the time I post it, there will be at least 2 weeks left of summer vacation; that means, there will be at least 1 chapter until I resume to my regular updates (I have to finish my summer homework and such). I know it sounds disheartening to go back to a monthly update schedule, but I gotta focus on schoolwork, especially since Junior year is the most important year in Highschool. The most anticipated moments yet will come in the next following chapters, so hang on tight!**_

 _ **I have 100% confirmation that there will be a lemon coming soon, most likely at the end of December (to be honest, December 27 might be the perfect date, to celebrate the one year anniversary). I have actually written a draft back in February of this year and continued to edit it to this very day. You guys might be asking: why are you taking so long in writing just a simple sex scene? Well, I take priority in the plot, and I just don't want the lemon to be something simple.**_

 _ **I would like to shout out to Houvdon Lucifer and his fantastic story 'A Crack Resolve'! Houvdon is the very first Author to shout me out, and he had fewer followers than me...I would be ashamed of myself if I did not return the favor XD. 'A Cracked Resolve' is a unique DxD fanfiction, one of a kind! I encourage those who like a change of setting from ecchi/romantic/comedy/battle DxD fics to a more sinister/darker setting to read it.**_

 ** _This chapter has only one part, unlike the previous chapters._**

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

Underworld Politics, Arc II

"-!?" He knew undoubtedly that 'she' will come to him, but did not imagined it in the situation he was currently at. The 'special visitor' that Ajuka mentioned was no other than Ravel Phenex, the youngest of the Phenex siblings, and his ex-manager. Issei's chocolate eyes gawked at her, instinctively memorizing every little detail of her appearance. He tried to swallow and talk at the same time, but ended up choking on his surprise. When the glimpse of her sapphire-like eyes met his, she looked away. Issei's head went to the side in confusion, not understanding why his adorable junior would act so shy and timid.

The atmosphere became tense, as minutes passed by without any of them saying a word to each other. Ravel begun to fear that he no longer had any interest in her; of course, Issei hasn't said anything yet because he was afraid of Ravel. Not Ravel herself, but how much paperwork and lecturing she will give him. Yet… it seemed that the nightmare was still on the back of his mind when she entered the room. Since she was not facing in his direction, he turned and faced towards the window.

He saw the familiar bright, flickering lights across the city of Lilith. He suspected that he was currently at the Serafall Memorial Hospital since the hospital had taken care him during the [Evil Dragon Campaign], and had the most cutting edge medical equipment in the Underworld. His eyes came across a statue; a statue of the Red Dragon Emperor Scail Mail, the icon of [Oppai Dragon], masterfully crafted with ebony. He saw a horde of Devils, facing towards the hospital like it was some sort of attraction.

He reached for the remote control, and turned on the television.

[The Underworld, no, the entire supernatural world is currently celebrating a spectacular turn of events! As you can see here, we are in front of Serafall Memorial Hospital with many residents and fans of [Oppai Dragon]! Our hero, Hyoudou Issei-sama, has returned from the brink of death! He is currently in the hospital, making a full recovery from his injuries! We are yet to gain access to enter the Hospital and have a word with Hyoudou-sama...but we won't let that discourage us! Let us hear what the public has to say!]

[Oppai Dragon~! We love you~!]

[Oppai! Oppai!]

[Oppai Dragon is the strongest!]

[Get better soon, Oppai Dragon!]

Many Devils, from children holding [Oppai Dragon] action figures and hot Devil teenage girls holding signs, to Ultimate Class-Devils and other prominent figures of the Devil Society were expressing their love and happiness for his return. He watched with a solemn expression, until he felt a shiver on his back.

"Stare~" Ravel was emitting a strange aura around her body. Issei can feel her gaze, watching him as he breathe; they were sharp, as if lined with shards of glass around the edges. Issei can only describe her deadly stare from something straight out of a Geographic television program; he remembered a show about birds, more specifically hawks, and how they carefully choose their prey before chasing it down. It seemed that Ravel was annoyed by the fact that Issei was staring at the young females, instead of her (despite his solemn expression).

After avoiding eye contact and prolonging their silence for long enough, Ravel sighed and decided to take the first action.

"I have a lot of things to discuss with you, Ise-sama." she said, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. She walked up to a nearby chair, pulling it next to his bed and sat with her arms crossed. Although her tsun personality had been activated, she shifted nervously in her chair, tapping her finger on her backhand as they were folded. Issei mustered enough courage to look at Ravel again, while coming up with a topic to engage in a conversation with her. Before he said a word, he looked thoroughly and compared her size from last year Ravel to the current Ravel, and found that she hasn't grown much in any particular area.

Finally getting his attention, Ravel unfolded her arms and summoned a magic circle with the Phenex Clan symbol inscribed in it, which allow her to summon a servant from house of Phenex. The servant was a male and was holding the handle of a cart, which hold the teapot, tea cups and some desserts.

"Here is the tea and snacks that you prepared, milady." said the servant as he bowed and then placed everything at the side table that was conveniently next to Issei. The servant then left with the cart through the teleport circle, thus leaving the two alone again. Ravel grabbed the handle of the teapot, and pour some of the brown, steamy liquid into the cups. She served one to Issei, which made him loosen up a bit.

"Thanks." he said softly said, and helped himself to the tea. He expected her to dump the hot tea on his head, but that wasn't the case. Upon sipping, his taste buds screamed in joy as the sugary liquid cleansed the bitterness he had in his mouth since he woke up from his nightmare. The tea was hot, so it was expected for his tongue to burn and his gums to start shedding some flesh. Nonetheless, he enjoyed it and felt complete satisfaction.

"It's been so long since I tasted Ravel-chan's tea…" he mumbled. Ravel blushed when he used the honorific '~chan' when he addressed her; she once again puffed her cheeks to hide her embarrassment. He no longer felt the sharpness of her gaze and her usual atmosphere came back, which made him sigh in relief.

"W-Well, of course! Be grateful to have some of my brewed tea; it's something that even most nobles don't have the privilege to." she boasted, putting her chest forward. Issei rolled his eyes and chuckled, knowing that she had activated her tsun personality to hide her true feelings.

"Hmph! I-It's not like I made the tea for you…" she exclaimed in response to his chuckling, but the redness of her face only increased. She drank the tea rather fast, and poured some more into her cup. He saw her hands shake with anxiety and uneasiness. When she finished her third cup of tea, she placed it at the table and folded her hands. She could not help but wiggle her small, mature body and fidget her index fingers in a circular pattern. Seeing her reaction and finding it cute, Issei's instincts got the best of him and he unconsciously placed his hand on top of her head, patting her.

" _Ah, I guess the temptation was very hard to resist."_ he thought.

"I am not a ghost, so why are you so afraid of me?" he asked. Ravel's eyes widen when she felt the familiar sensation of his hand, rubbing and pressing against her blonde hair. The tsundere attitude immediately disappeared when she felt his hand, and a bright smile and tears of joy surfaced. He started to wonder if his hand was some type of switch that can change Ravel personalities (it was like flickering a light bulb for him). Issei placed his cup at the table, and then embraced her, pulling Ravel closer to him. He felt the tender bosom under her dress, softly grinding against his scared filled body. When their eyes met again, instead of avoiding him, she stared deeply into his pupils. Her sparkling, lovely eyes gazed at him with such tenderness, it made him forget how sharp and unnerving they could be.

"You should have just hug me when you entered, instead being afraid and trying to act cool." Issei complained.

"I can say the same to you. ...I expected Ise-sama to be happy from my surprise visit, but instead...your eyes looked like they were a thousand leagues away...I thought you viewed me as a nuisance." she whimpered. His heart throb when he realized that he, out of all people, made Ravel feel uncomfortable.

"...I'll be honest with you Ravel. I was a bit paranoid when you entered the room. I'm sorry for letting you see something disturbing in our reunion."

"...Paranoid?" she was worried at what Issei said.

"D-Don't worry, I just woke up from a nightmare… I know, it sound childish."

"...Hehehe." Ravel giggled at his response. Using the only opportunity she had, Ravel took the initiative, and proceeded to remove her footwear and snuggled herself into his bed. Laying on his right side, she took a step further and hugged his arm; the soft sensation of her breast and thighs made Issei blush.

"W-What are you doing?"

"...I'm sorry. I let my feelings get the best of me. I also want to… do things like this with Ise-sama. I am your manager after all… " she apologized.

"Seriously, you are a very good girl. Although tsundere Ravel is very fun to tease, I prefer the honest you, since I find it very adorable and heartwarming." he smiled. Hearing his preferences, Ravel was finally able to be honest with herself, and released all the feelings she had been holding back for the past year.

"...I really missed you, Ise-sama. I thought you were gone for good, but yet you still persisted and continue to live on, even when everyone has forgotten you…." Ravel

sobbed. She poignantly cried, covering her eyes with her small hands. She wiped her face as best she as could, but streams of tears still flowed down.

"…. I'm supposed to be your manager, yet I doubted you…." she whimpered, stuffing her face into his chest.

"...I told ya, I was not going to die, idiot." he cooed. Since Ravel unintentionally let go of his arm to wipe her tears, Issei used his hand to hold her cheek.

He remembered the promise he had swore to keep for Ravel after she was rescued by Ajuka, but unfortunately due to the circumstances, Issei had no choice but to postpone it. His mind wandered back to that moment, when her blue eyes were filled with tears, but instead of happiness, she consistently blamed herself for the kidnapping of his parents and how things turned out before he left for Agreas.

"...Do you forgive me?" she asked.

"...Ravel, what are you saying? You haven't done anything wrong, in fact I should be the one apologizing." he frowned.

"Why?" her tears stopped flowing, and the curiosity in her eyes shined.

"...It's really complicated. But let's forget about that for now, we can talk it about another time. So, what were the things that you want discuss about?" he changed the subject rather hurriedly to avoid further discussion about himself.

"R-Right! Firstly, here, this is from Okaa-sama." Ravel handed Issei a piece of paper with the Phenex Household symbol on it.

"Insert you power into the paper, and it will immediately summon a magic circle to communicate with Okaa-sama." she explained. Just when she gave the paper to him, she hop off his bed and sat in the chair; she wouldn't want her mother seeing her doing something improper. Issei insert a small amount of aura on his finger tips, and then a holographic image was projected, allowing the face of a young woman to appear.

[How do you do, Sekiryuutei-dono?] asked the wife of the current head of the house of Phoenix.

"Yo."

"I-Ise-sama…" Ravel was about scold him for his impoliteness, but Lady Phoenix lifted up her hand.

[It is fine, Ravel. Sekiryuutei-dono doesn't have to be so formal. Forgive me for I don't have much time to chat, since I am currently busy at the moment. I want to give my sincere thanks for saving us all; the entire supernatural world is currently going berserk about your return. Beelzebub-dono told me everything about your situation with the [Evil Pieces], and it seems you cannot become a Devil due to your… ascension.]

"Excuse me Okaa-sama, what do you mean Ise-sama cannot become a Devil?!" Ravel asked in a demanding tone, standing up from her seat. Lady Phenex gave her the stare (like when somebody interrupts a conversation), and Ravel bit her lip, immediately apologizing on the spot.

[Forgive my daughter's outburst, she really was looking forward in becoming your [Bishop]. Ravel, I understand how you feel, and this is why I worked out a wonderful opportunity; Sekiryuutei-dono, I and the Phenex Household will forever be in your debt, if you continue your relationship with her and allow her to stay under your care.]

"Of course, like I said before, I will protect her. But… what will happen to her [Bishop] piece? Will she stay as a free [Bishop]?"

[No, you will have possession of Ravel's [Bishop], allowing her to serve you. Although you are not a Devil anymore, the Maou-samas have allow an exception, and Beelzebub-dono is already working on modifying her piece, so it should be fine.]

"Okaa-sama, would you please explain why Issei cannot become a Devil?" Ravel politely asked.

[Ask him yourself Ravel, he knows the reason better than anyone else.]

"My existence is beyond the power of the [Evil Piece] system. Even eight mutated [Pawns] were not enough to contain my powers." he answered.

"Does that mean-" Issei already knew what Ravel was gonna ask, so he cut off her question by answering.

"Yep. I can no longer use [Illegal Move Triaina] and [Cardinal Crimson Promotion]. Basically, the only power-ups I have is [Balance Breaker] and 'that'." (A/N: By 'that', he means [Dragonbreak]).

[...Interesting. Anyways, when you are fully recovered, Riser and Rias will give you her [Bishop] piece upon your arrival to the Phenex Household.]

"Okaa-sama! Watch your words!" Ravel warned. She still believed that Issei was ignorant about the marriage, and she got jumpy when her mother mentioned Rias and Riser. Realizing that she could have actually made things worse by being defensive about it, Lady Phoenix gave a small smile in response.

[Sekiryuutei-dono is already aware of the marriage between Riser and Rias. Beelzebub-dono had told me that Ophis-sama had already given him the news.]

"I-Ise-sama…." Ravel looked over to Issei with worried eyes; Upon seeing her face, Issei knew that Ravel was scared. He softly poked her forehead, causing her to stagger back a little. He smiled at her, reassuring her that he was fine.

[Sekiryuutei-dono, I hope you can forgive us for how things turned out for Rias-sama; but there is a legitimate reason for her accepting the marriage proposal.]

"Great, Underworld Politics." he spat out.

[Precisely. The House of Bael has been expanding their influence into other mythologies, and the other clans are starting to fear that Lord Bael is overstepping his boundaries. So, the House of Gremory have decided to make a desperate political maneuver, and have Rias marry Riser to have the support of the Phenex Clan, in case things get rough. Of course, Lord Bael caught wind of this, and almost arranged a marriage proposal between Magdaran and Ravel, to balance out the powers.]

"That little cun-" Issei almost displayed his anger towards Lord Bael and his attempt to take Ravel away, to most likely use her for his schemes. Ravel grabbed Issei's hand, and calmed him down.

[That's why I am begging you, not as the Lady of the Phenex Household, but as her mother. Please take Ravel with you, and allow her to serve under you and live with you.]

"Of course, Ravel is my faithful companion. I won't hand her over to anybody." he declared; his declaration made Ravel's face turn red, again.

[This is an enormous relief. Forgive me Sekiryuutei-dono, but you taking Ravel was also considered to be a political maneuver. This will now give the House of Gremory and Phenex an advantage over Bael, and giving us the right to check and balance their political actions. With this settled, I will entrust my daughter to you for eternity. Ravel, behave in a manner where you won't shame yourself as a lady, at least in public.]

"Hai, Okaa-sama."

"Wait, have the Maous done anything about this situation?" he asked.

[Their hands are full as it is, and they need to focus on the ending ceremony for the World Rating Game Tournament. Besides, the Maous are simply just the figureheads of the Underworld.]

"I see. I'll keep Ravel safe, no matter what. But this is the only, and last time you involved me and her in Underworld Politics, understand?" Issei sternly said.

[I understand Sekiryuutei-dono. I have also granted you a land ownership of a small territory that belongs to us-]

"No need for that. I have my own 'realm' where Ravel and I could stay. Where is Rias and Riser right now?"

[They are currently resting, since they had just arrived from their diplomatic mission. They have no idea about your return.]

"...Well, guess I could visit them now, give them a surprise, and get Ravel's [Bishop] piece. Kill two birds with one stone." he suggested to himself.

"That pun wasn't funny, Ise-sama. Besides, the doctors said you need to rest for three days..."

[A-Are you sure you won't do something drastic, if you decide to visit?]

"I promise. I come by today, as in matter of fact."

[My! I might need to cancel today's duties, and prepare a welcome celebration.]

"No need to do all that ruckus; once your daughter finishes her discussion with me, I'll head over there. I have nothing better to do in the hospital anyways. Also, I think the hospital staff are on their last knees right now, since the entire media is going crazy. I do not want to be stuck in here and answer a bunch of questions that I do not have answers to."

[Well then, I will take my leave then. Sekiryuutei-dono, please stay for dinner, your friends would be very glad to see you again.]

-Line Break-

After Lady Phenex disconnected, Issei sighed and laid his head upon his hand. Anything that had to do with politics or other complicated ways to govern, he completely despise them; there will always be cutthroats, cheaters, and influential figures in politics that will get their way. If Issei had to govern a government, he would most likely send it straight to anarchy.

He knew that the world changed, but not in such drastic ways in a short amount of time. If he did not mentally prepare himself before departing from the Forgotten Valley, he would done something dramatic about the political marriage between Riser and Rias. Ddraig, who remained quiet for the majority of Ravel's visit, decided to ask the question that might cause Issei to go over his breaking point.

 **[Do you still love Rias?]** the Welsh Dragon asked. Ravel did not had the backbone to even think about asking that question, but since Ddraig save her from asking, she also wanted to know.

"I don't know." Issei unenthusiastically answered. His mind was to bombarded with other matters, and he can not grieve over a consequence of his actions; on that moment when he agreed to Akatosh's proposal, the entire future of the supernatural was bound to change, and unfortunately, losing Rias was one of those changes.

Seeing how he answered Ddriag's question, in the first time in Ravel's life, she had no idea nor she could not predict what Issei was thinking. It was the strangest thing, and the most irritating; last year, before she was kidnapped by Diehauser Bael, she always figured out what Issei thought and she would counsel him. Now the only thing she could do, was nothing.

"Ravel-chan. Let's go the Phenex Household now."

"Ise-sama?"

"I want to know how she's doing."

"...Okay." Ravel nodded.

Upon receiving approval from his ex-manager, Issei got up from his bed, revealing his almost nude body to Ravel. Of course, Ravel blushed, but she too worried to fantasize.

He opened the closet, which had his sleeveless black jacket emblazoned with the hour glass rune. The rest of the outfit consisted of a shirt, black pants, and a pair of black boots. There are several accessories, including his red amulet, a bandoleer, and kneepads. The entire outfit is dusty and weather-beaten.

"Come on, let's go."

* * *

 _ **Afterword**_

 _ **A/N: Next chapter will be called 'Disastrous Reunion'. Issei will finally meet Irina and his ex-peerage.**_ _ **I hope the explanation about why Rias married Riser was satisfying. So, as in right now, there are 4 antagonists, and they already been introduced. Issei losing [** **Illegal Move Triaina] and [Cardinal Crimson Promotion] was necessary since he no longer had the [Pawn] pieces. Do not misunderstand, even without [Illegal Move Triaina] and [Cardinal Crimson Promotion], Issei had been training vigorously under Akatosh for a year.**_

 _ **Until next chapter!**_


	18. A Small Lie, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Flashback

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

" _ **..."**_ -Akatosh

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

"... _ **rot**_ …"-Words in Dovahzul

 _ **A/N: Welcome to the long awaited update of...October?**_

 _ **I deeply apologize for delaying 'Disastrous Reunion', twice. I should have put this story on hiatus, instead of trying to accomplish something that was impossible. The reason why I decided to delay 'Disastrous Reunion', again, was because the way I wrote the chapter didn't really satisfy me, so I decided to redo it again. I made this decision like around last friday, so yeah...sorry :(.**_

 _ **Also, chapters will not be released monthly anymore, instead, I'll just release whenever I feel like the chapter has satisfied me. It might take more than a month for me to release 'Disastrous Reunion', depending on my status on school. School is much, much more difficult than anticipated, which is affecting my ability to write. I hope you guys understand.**_

 _ **Anyways, let's forget about my personal life and focus on the fanfiction! Although this is not the reunion everyone was waiting for, this chapter contains a scraped part of chapter 17, Underworld Politics, and a scraped chapter that was supposed to be set before the beginning of Arc II.**_

 _ **Inspired by Houvdon Lucifer, I've decided to write a quote in the beginning of this chapter to bring in some suspense. This is experimental, so don't expect it to be in the next chapter, unless you guys say otherwise.**_

 _ **HAPPY BRITHDAY TO ME! :D!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

" _ **Let go of that ideology, it will only shatter your heart even further."**_

 _-Akatosh, Dragon God of Time_

* * *

A Small Lie, Arc II

Part 1 [Flashback set between Arc I and Arc II]

(Forgotten Valley)

He laid there, completely hopeless, in an eradicated state. His limbs were numb and mangled, his skin had a faint warmth as the cold breeze passed by through his ravaged body, and his warm blood oozed out of his wounds. His brown eyes went grayish a little while ago, signalizing that he was unconscious.

Issei was actually dying. Again. He would've believed that he knew better after going through death three times, but he stand corrected. It was not entirely his fault for the state he was in, but he let down his guard. The cause of his severe injuries was the result of his recent training, which was perfecting one of the moves Akatosh taught him: [Mortal's Curse].

The purpose of using [Mortal's Curse] was to make a pure immortal, whether they were Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels or any non-god tier creatures, experience the concept of mortality; it was something so utterly incomprehensible to an immortal, that the power tears at their very soul, breaking their concentration enough so they cannot focus on flying. In able to completely grasp the technique, Issei must use it against Gogmagogs that Akatosh reactivated. Gogmagogs were stone-like creatures, used for mass destruction, that was abandoned by the ancient gods. The only active, living Gogmagog was in the possession of Le Frey, but it seems that Akatosh had some aces under his sleeves, and was able to reactivate Gogmagogs of his own.

These golems are able to defeat Grim Reapers with ease because of their immense strength and endurance, plus they can manipulate their body parts into any weapon, even modern weapons like machine guns. Fighting three of them simultaneously is no easy task. After countless days of dodging and counterattacking, Issei was successful on bounding the golems with [Mortal's Curse], but the downside of it was that the opponent can still have access to their abilities, which was the reason why he almost got blasted away.

As he laid there, dying, a tall man with horns sticking out of his forehead and wearing a robe came towards the young teenager in distress. Akatosh laid his eyes upon his trainee, and the eyes of the Dragon God of Time bulged in fear.

" _ **What a mess… those golems have a strong will, so it was expected for them to break free from my control. Still, I did not know Issei was still unprepared to defend against these high-level creatures.**_ " Akatosh remarked, as he knelt down to the snow, and carefully grabbed his pupil by the torso. He gently placed him on his back, making sure that Issei's mangled limbs would sustain itself for a little longer. Issei's breathing was already ragged and distorted, and each breath became more distanced than the last. Akatosh took flight and hurried toward his safe haven, an old temple dedicated to _**Konahrik**_ , where he can heal Issei at the altar. Occasionally, the young brunette would cough, and throw up blood, which caused the Dragon God's robe to become soaked.

" _ **Almost there…"**_ he murmured to his pupil, ignoring the fact that his only robe was ruined. There had been countless times where Issei had serious injuries, but nothing life-threatening. This was the first time Akatosh had encountered this, and the Dragon God was afraid losing him, for reasons way too important, even for Issei. Still, he kept a cool and collective attitude, knowing that his emotions can jeopardize Issei's survival.

The temple of _**Konahrik**_ was an ancient structure, built on the ridge of a mountain, with 7,000 steps going down towards the surface. The stairway to the temple of _**Konahrik**_ had many native animals, who guard the stairs as if it was their own territory. Akatosh skipped the stairs, and flew up to the doors, breaking the tradition of climbing the 7,000 steps. As he landed at the platform of the old temple, he was met with a statue of himself, holding a glass hour in one hand, and the sun at the other. Below the statue, was a blood seal that only activates if Akatosh, or any user of [Dragonbreak], use their blood to unseal the doors that lead to the inner sanctum.

" _ **Sorry Issei, your wounds are already open.**_ " Akatosh apologized beforehand. He quickly lowered Issei's body, just enough for Akatosh to perform a bloodletting session. Multiple drops of blood poured into the seals, and the doors were opened.

Without a second to spare, Akatosh, with Issei in his arms, zoomed through the hallways with his incredible speed, and found a stone bed, which he gently laid his pupil and begun the healing session.

-Line Break-

"...Haaa….W-Where am... I?" the brunette groaned as he attempted to sit up, only to experience immense pain, as if gravity was pulling his heart down with chains. With Issei wide awake, Akatosh sighed in relief and exhaustion.

" _ **Finally, you are awake. Thought I lost you there for awhile."**_

"You think...ugh ...that I will die off easily?" Issei groaned as barley assembled his words, due to the unbearable amount of suffering. Although Akatosh did close off his wounds, it did not ease down the pain.

" _ **You know healing magic is not one of my strongest points."**_ Akatosh said, as grabbed a hot wet towel, and wipe off the sweet around his face. Although Akatosh had some knowledge on healing magic, he was absolutely terrible at giving medical services. Dragon Gods can bestow powers and even their own blood to whoever they chose, but they are not capable of performing medical attention. Believe it or not, Asia was better at healing than Akatosh.

"Can't you properly heal me, you shitty Dragon God?" he moaned as he attempted to get up again, only to crumble back down to the stone bed.

" _ **I am not finished, you know? Brace yourself, this might hurt."**_ Akatosh laid his hand upon his chest, and used some type of magic that is similar to a magnet, pulling out all of the bullets that golems fired. Issei yelped in pain, as he grabbed Akatosh's hand and violently push it away from him.

" _ **Told you."**_

"...Damn it all! ….This is probably the reason why you trained me to be sturdy..." he groaned, as Akatosh finished 'recovering' him.

" _ **If I trained you to be sturdy, then there is no reason for you to go through these sessions. Even if your heart is pumping with the blood of a Dragon God, you have the concept and mentality of a mortal."**_ The Orange Dragon frowned.

"...How ironic…" Issei let out a small, painful laugh as Akatosh applied bandages. The maple haired teen closed his eyes, and laid there, feeling the stillness of the room. Meanwhile, Akatosh looked down upon his trainee's face. It was the first time since he arrived at the Forgotten Valley that Issei properly smiled, which made the Dragon God smile as well.

This was the everyday life for Issei under the supervision of Akatosh. Train, train, some lunch, and then train again. Although it was rigorous and unforgiving, he still followed through with these rough procedures because he knew that without the [Boosted Gear], he was nothing but an average human, and he understood that.

Over the course of five months, he had gradually improved, to the point where he no longer had to depend on the [Boosted Gear] to unleash powers like [Dragon Shot]. Learning the way of the Akaviri, Issei's swordsmanship had dramatically increased, to the point where he could fend of Kiba in an actual sword fight. Of course, this major improvement was not only earned through continuous effort and thorough discipline, but also meditating on one of the lost [Words of Power], more specifically, the words _**Feim, Fus,**_ and _**Yol**_ _._ (A/N: Not dragon shouts, just the meaning of the word).

Despite having those major improvements, he was nowhere near the level he was before he died. He no longer had the [Evil Pieces], Ophis's power, and Great Red's flesh. His potential had dramatically decreased, and he was not expecting any more powerups for the rest of his days. All he had now was [Dragonbreak], which Akatosh forbade him to use during his training, and the [Boosted Gear], which was sealed in Heaven at the time being.

With just [Dawnbreaker], Issei's current power level was around that of an average Mid-Class Devil. Without [Dawnbreaker], even lower. Every training session he'll have, would up having his arm broken or feet were frostbitten, or something worse. Akatosh was expecting those injuries, but that day, he did not expect Issei to be near death.

" _ **Do not misunderstand, I rather have you think like a mortal. Being arrogant is one of the most disappointing traits I find in Gods and immortals."**_ Akatosh finally spoke. Issei opened his eyes, slowly turning his head and stared at him.

" _ **...Look like that hurt."**_

"I can barely turn my head...it is best if I just stay still and heal. But I just...thought of something."

" _ **You were thinking about Irina?"**_ Akatosh smirked. Issei was an open book, and Akatosh could easily read him. Issei looked back to his mentor with a regretful look.

"...Akatosh, I don't think I can keep my promise to her."

" _ **...Oh? Why? Do you still have feelings for Rias?"**_

"It's not that… marrying someone is a big deal. I don't think I can marry her, just yet. ...I do not think I can handle the responsibility."

" _ **I can comprehend your situation. You need time to adjust everything, and marriage can even further enhance your confusion. But as long you love her, and only her, then there's no need to overthink trivial matters like that."**_

"...Yeah. But, what about the others? Akeno, Asia, Xenovia, Koneko, and Ravel…what would they think?"

" _ **...Issei, you know it is against the commandments to think like that."**_

"...I-I...know. But, it is...hard to let go my love for them…"

" _ **Issei, understand this: You can lust for anybody, you can die for anybody, but your heart is only big enough to love two people: yourself and your soulmate, whoever that may be. Always remember that."**_

"...It is not easy, to just simply just love one girl, whereas all the others who were with me are... just as amazing. You know, I still have feelings for Rias-"

" _ **Issei. In reality, you just have to cut ties and focus on what matters the most. You have been living in this so-called 'fantasy', and that got you killed twice. You have to wake up and realize, that this isn't the type of reality where the main character would have overpowered abilities, gets a harem, and then will have a happy ending. Let go of that ideology, it will only shatter your heart even further."**_

"But I don't want to cut ties with anyone…! If it wasn't for those commandments you gave me, then I won't be contemplating like I am now...!" Issei complained, barely able to raise his voice. After that, Issei gasped for air and coughed terribly. Akatosh laid his hand upon Issei's chest once again, healing his lungs a bit, although to no avail.

" _ **...Understand this, Issei: I gave you those commandments, and enforced them because I want what is best for you. You, out of all of the predecessors of [Dragonbreak], have surpassed the beginning trials. But, despite all the things you been through, despite you being a Dragon Demi-God, you still have not experienced many things in life. Those commandments I enforced, hopefully, can make you understand why I value you. Now, stop having a fit, if you do want your lungs to fail."**_

"...I will try to understand… mind if I ask you another question?"

" _ **Sure, I don't really mind."**_ Akatosh nodded, raising an eyebrow. He attentively listened to his pupil, like any other passionate master would do. Issei's voice was weak, so Akatosh leans in closer to his pupil.

"...Throughout the [Evil Dragon Campaign], Trihexa called me Bormah, which means father in Dovahzul. But, Bormah also translates to your name… What does that mean?"

" _ **Ah, you noticed. I thought I can never break that denseness of yours, but I applaud you for figuring that out. Now enough of me mocking you, let me answer your question...Hmm...Trihexa and I have a bit of history with each other. Before Jyggalag placed a thousand seals on it, we were always on conflict, alongside with that other idiot Dragon God, Hermaeus."**_

"...Jig-a-lag? You mean, the God of the Bible?"

" _ **He is a mysterious God indeed. He is just as compassionate with his subordinates, as I am with you."**_

"...Where is Jyggalag now?"

" _ **Somewhere with his son, Jesus. He never told me where he was going, really. Left me a big of a mess with those seals all rusted and shit. Probably did that in purpose, since he knew I was around. ...Wonder what is he up to ever since..."**_

"...I can no longer withstand my curiosity. Akatosh, who are you exactly?"

" _ **I am the Dragon God of Time."**_ he bluntly answered.

"I know what you are, but who are you exactly?"

" _ **...That answer is for you to discover."**_ the Dragon God immediately, but politely attempted to turn down the question.

"...Why can't you just simply tell me? ...It is not like anyone knows you; as in a matter of fact, only I, Draig, and maybe Irina, are the only ones who know about your existence." Issei persistently asked.

" _ **My identity would require knowing information that you are not ready to understand yet. In time, you will have your answer."**_

"...I have this strange feeling in my gut…"

" _ **It is probably because you are in pain?"**_

"No, I have made another realization. These powers you are teaching me, it seems that their purpose is to weaken or destroy immortals. I am like an EMP grenade for supernatural beings...something tells me that you are not training me, just to benefit me, or give an apology for how things turned out. ...I think you actually are preparing me for war. Akatosh, if there is anything that you are hiding, might give me a clue?"

" _ **...A clue...well, here is one: I am giving you a gift, once you have completed the basic training and ready to head back to Earth. A one of a kind gift, that only I can create and give.**_

"...Oh, what will that be? And what does it have to do with my previous question?"

" _ **Don't worry about it, the gift is pretty useless and just for fashion. As for my identity, you just have to research and train more for you to understand. There is more history here in the Forgotten Valley than you think. For now, rest well, my son. The next training session will be just as rigorous than the last, but I am teaching you a more useful technique: [Dragon Aspect], which is a more enhanced version of [Dragonification].**_

"...Well then, might as well do as you say." Issei nodded, slowly closing his eyes, and began his deep sleep.

After a few hours of taking care of his sleeping pupil, Akatosh sighed.

" _ **I am sorry for not answering your question, Issei. If you would have known that your sacrifice did not kill Trihexa...I can not even begin to imagine the amount of sadness you will go through. For that, I have to keep this a secret, and, unfortunately, lie to you. As long you and your descendants wear the [Amulet of Kings], the Dragonfires will never burn out, and until I have regained my strength, and persuade Ophis, Great Red, and Hermaeus to fight alongside me to defeat this abomination, Trihexa will stay sealed. Sooner or later, I will have to stop intervening with your life, because I have changed the course of time. So when you leave, I will leave as well...to prepare for the worst."**_

* * *

Part 2 [During Chapter 17: Underworld Politics]

The Undercity of Lilith. Only accessible through the magic circle's of the Four Great Devil Kings, the Undercity is an ultimate prison, purposely made to incarcerate the worst and most dangerous criminals, terrorist, and political enemies of the current government of Devils. Home to last remnants of the Old Satan Faction, the prison is rather a luxurious place, and since the majority of the prisoners are High-Class Devils and Ultimate-Class Devils, they are way better off than the average Low-Class Devil prisoner. Despite the luxury of having proper meals and assets, the Undercity is always on maximum alert, and the security has brutal procedures that will punish any disobedience, outburst, or assault. Due to the incarceration of Euclid Lucifuge and the events of the [Evil Dragon Campaign], the Devil Kings have issued a proclamation, without the consent of the House of Bael, to reinforce the security staff with Ultimate-Class Devils and their peerages.

Each prisoner has their own room, with a proper toilet, bed, desk, and shower (unlike the ones in the human world). Breakfast, lunch and dinner is always served inside the prisoner's room, and there is no cafeteria to socialize with other prisoners; due to their transgressions against the public and government of the Underworld, the prisoner had lost the right to freedom of speech, a right that most young, arrogant Pure-Blooded Devils abuse. Any inmate that was spotted talking to another prisoner without authorization, was to be executed on the spot.

The most notorious of all the inmates, is Euclid Lucifuge, the younger brother of Grayfia Lucifuge. Euclid is a young handsome looking man appearing in his early twenties with silver hair that is tied in a braided hairstyle, and wears a silver robe with detailed accessories. Of course, the authorities let him keep his precious jewelries and clothing, not that it helped him. What used to be a calm and collective individual, with a ruthless and manipulative side, is now the complete embodiment of insanity. His crazed glare held the utmost hatred towards everything, even for his sister, which he used to craved for so long. Grayfia only visited him once during his time at the Undercity, and that was to interrogate him a second time after the [Evil Dragon Campaign], to find out whether Qlippoth had other facilities and members. With Rizevim dead, Khaos Brigade destroyed, and everything that he worked for gone, Euclid's mind degraded, to point where he became suicidal. The only thing that kept him going, disturbingly, was a piece of cloth that belong to Grayfia.

Outside of his room, there are always two security guards patrolling the empty hallways; of course, the security guards are Ultimate-Class tire. Usually, there was nothing of interest in hearing their conversations, but today was special. The guards are watching a recording of the recent news that sent shockwaves throughout the entire supernatural world.

[The Underworld, no, the entire supernatural world is currently celebrating a spectacular turn of events! As you can see here, we are in front of Serafall Memorial Hospital with many residents and fans of [Oppai Dragon]! Our hero, Hyoudou Issei-sama, has returned from the brink of death! He is currently in the hospital, making a full recovery from his injuries! We are yet to gain access to enter the Hospital and have a word with Hyoudou-sama...but we won't let that discourage us! Let us hear what the public has to say!]

As the fans of 'Oppai Dragon' cheered at the camera that was broadcasting throughout the supernatural world, Euclid found himself deeply annoyed. Of course he'll be annoyed; out of everything that had happened, Issei still had something valuable, meanwhile Euclid had absolutely nothing. Just when Euclid thought he could gain a little bit of comfort knowing that he was dead, fate came right back at him, and spat on his face. It was infuriating. To have someone like _him_ gain the affection of his beloved older sister… During his interrogation, Grayfia repeatedly called Issei 'Otouto-kun', and that memory burned in his brain. He was an artificial existences in his eyes, an existence that was beneath him. But yet...Euclid was defeated by a mere power-up, like it was some type of plot device. He was defeated in the most cliché way imaginable.

The word 'Oppai Dragon' repeated on, and on, and on, like the words were just a never ending cycle in his brain. The news reporters continue to talk about Issei, and Euclid was fed up with it; his annoyance became anger, as his nails went deep into his skin and his teeth clenched together. Blood dripped from the palms of his hands since he digged his nails too deep, but he did not care and ignore the pain. The Dark, evil aura rose from his body, making the walls crack. His eyes were murderous, the lust to kill emerged, which was a new personality trait to him, since he had never experienced such rage in his entire life. Not even a single spark of sanity was left in his eyes.

At that moment, he had a new resolve, a new goal, a new purpose; it was the first time since Rizevim's regime that he tasted the bitterness of ambition, and he welcomed it with open arms.

His new goal was to eradicate everything that Issei stood for.

To hell with his traitorous sister, to hell with the Lucifuge Clan, to hell with Rizevim's views on how a Devil should act, to hell with Lucifer's ideals, to hell with everything.

To hell with Hyoudou Issei.

"Turn that shit off!" the silver haired Devil commanded with hatred in his voice. Since his aura was obviously powerful, the guards outside of his room were already at maximum alert.

"Shut the fuck up! Who allowed you to speak!?" one of the security guards shot some of his aura inside of Euclid's room, but to no avail, since the Lucifuge aura's was protecting his body. As a result from the guard's failed attempt to silence Euclid, the two of them anxiously looked at each other and nodded.

"Radio in some reinforcements."

"On it. Seriously, I wish we had some Angels here...would make our job a hell lot easier with their holy powers."

"I know, but we just gonna have settle with our holy-demonic swords for now."


	19. Disastrous Reunion (I), Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Telepathy

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

 _ **A/N: It has been 4 months since the release of chapter 17…**_

 _ **Merry (late) Christmas! I hope you guys are enjoying the holidays as much as I am!**_

 _ **As a Christmas gift and reward for your extreme patience, here is the most anticipated chapter that everyone was waiting! I hope I live up to your expectations!**_

 _ **The sheer amount of work I did on this chapter is unbelievable. And school work did not make it any easier. When Winter Break started, I immediately focused on finishing this chapter and getting it done by or before December 27, which is the first anniversary of Dragonbreak Chronicles.**_

 _ **Unfortunately, I faced a dilemma when writing this chapter: either I had to once again postpone the release of the chapter, or release one part of the chapter today and release the other later on. I decided to go with the second option, and I promise to release it by the end of January. The reason why I cannot put the two parts together is because I still have not fully written it.**_

 _ **This chapter is the calm before the storm, so don't expect anything crazy yet.**_

 _ **I don't really have much of an explanation as to why it took me so long to update. Life just happens.**_

 _ **Anyways, 2018 is a really promising year for not just DxD, but for the entire otaku/anime/manga community, and I cannot wait to see what is in store! I hope to continue to corroborate with you guys, and find new inspirations to create more content.**_

 _ **The monthly schedule of updates are not back yet, and probably won't come back until I finish my junior year of highschool. So, expect very limited updates for the time being. In exchange, the chapters will be longer. Do not worry, I will keep the end of my promise on the next chapter.**_

 _ **Not many people gave much feedback for the quote thing at the start of the chapter, but my good acquaintance Houvdon suggested that I keep doing it. So, the beginning quotes are official. Thanks again Houvdon!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

 _ **Goodbye 2017~!**_

* * *

" _...I understand the pain you, Koneko, Asia, Xenovia, Irina, Akeno and Rias have went through. You guys must have been so lonely, so hurt, and so frustrated about the decisions I have made back then."_

― _Hyoudou Issei, Dragon Demi-God of Time_

* * *

Disastrous Reunion (I), Arc II

Preface

One spark—

—can cause a chain of reactions that can result to war.

One spark—

— can cause a chain of reactions that can result the deaths of millions.

One spark—

—can cause a chain of reactions that can lead to Anarchy, and total destruction.

In 1914, the trigger for war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip. As the result of this spark, World War I had begun.

As a result of that war, an estimate of 20 million human lives were lost.

Because of the Alliance system of the Ottoman Empire, the German Empire, and the kingdom of Austria-Hungary—

Because of the Alliance system of Russia, the British Empire, and France—

The massive armament of their armies, the quick mobilization of their armies, and the fierce competition and extreme nationalism, lead Europe and eventually the United States to war.

History has a tendency to repeat itself if humans do not learn from it.

The same should go for the supernatural beings.

—Yet they are letting history repeat itself again.

As the World Rating Game Tournament is coming to a close, the tensions between Hades and the Alliance of the Three Great Factions, and the Bael Clan and their allies are rising. Azazel, Sirzechs, and Michael already knew that Lilith, the mother of all Devils and mother to Rizevim and Great-grandmother of Vali, was still alive and under Hades claws.

Underworld Intelligence suggest that Hades was trying to reproduce more Devils with Lilith, but to no avail, due to her sheer will of resisting his sexual advances.

Lilith is awake, but trapped within Hades lair. She can kill Hades, but she can not kill his entire army of Grim Reapers, for there were too many.

Hades's ultimate scheme is coming to fruition.

The extraction of Kokabiel and Samuel from the Cocytus was almost complete, but that was only the easy part.

Euclid Lucifuge was still at the Undercity, and Hades agents are working on getting him out through the extrusion of Lord Bael.

All Hades needed now, was one spark.

Either the Bael Clan strikes first, or the Great Alliance, or even his own legion of Grim Reapers.

But he need that one spark, like the one that started World War I.

-Line Break-

(AN: This little section was some cut content from a scraped chapter. Decided to put it in this because it shows the mentality of Issei. It really has nothing to do with this chapter. You can skip to the next line break, if you want.)

He moves its lips while shaking its scorching fire.

 **[If you are like that, you will never get strong.]  
**  
He heard something like that in his mind. It's not something he thought inside his head. It came from deep within his heart...

No, it came from his left arm...

 **[You are an abnormal being who possesses a Dragon within you. Don't show such a miserable state. The "White guy" will laugh at you. Power, that's what you desired, what I desired, and what the "White guy" desired. That's why you went into a new phase. He will appear before you sooner or later. Yeah, he and I are destined to fight. Oh yeah, by the way, it's about my power. I will teach you how to use its real power.]**

"..." he surveyed the area around him, and realized it was Ddraig's realm, that was always inside of his consciousness when he had the [Boosted Gear]. His gaze turned to his left arm, which already had the [Boosted Gear] equipped. He felt the energy oozing out of the gauntlet, which was natural. What was not natural, however, was the big red dragon in front of him. He compared the arua to the dragon and the aura of the gauntlet, and proved that his hypothesis was correct; the dragon in front of him was not Ddraig.

Then who was it?

 **[Welsh-Dragon, Ddraig. Hyoudou Issei, I'm the one inside of your left arm. Losing may be all right. If you don't die, losing can become your strength. However, it only means something if you win the next fight. Lose then win. Then continue to win. If you do that, you will meet him.]**

"..." The words that came out of the Dragon's mouth were the exact words Ddraig said long ago.

It irritated Issei.

 **[You will know soon enough. Get stronger for that coming day. I will give you my power any time you want. However, keep it in your mind that it will come with a sacrifice of something great. I will give you something that is worth the sacrifice. You can show it to those who laughed at you. The existence of a "Dragon" that is.]**

"...You have no idea, about the existence of a "Dragon God", now do you?"

 **[Arrogant fool… the "White Guy"—]**

"Are you even Ddraig, or just some annoying illusion?"

 **[W-What are you even saying—]**

"Shut the fuck up! Answer my question!"

 **[Bastard…! You cannot stand against Riser in your pitiful state!]**

" _ **Zu'u fen velaaz nau hin hil, hi hefhah!**_ "

-Line Break-

Almost two years ago, Hyoudou Issei was just a mere Low-Class Devil, who had almost no knowledge of the Supernatural world and had limited mastery over his Sacred Gear, the [Boosted Gear], which held the sealed conscious and power of Y Goch Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor.

He wore his Kuoh Academy boys' school uniform proudly, and in his hand, he gripped the crucifix and holy water that Asia gave him. Running towards the doors to stop the engagement party, the ignorant and perverted devil-dragon never cared for the politics, or preservation of the Pure-Blooded Devils. He only cared for one thing: the freedom of his ex-master, Rias.

Now, he walks the same familiar entryway, viewing the huge golden statue the legendary phoenix in the middle of a fountain of fire. Instead of charging ahead like he did in the past, he walked with a slow pace, viewing the scenery of the leafless trees that had flames spurting out of their branches, and the fountain of flowing fire. He breathes in the air filled with carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, reminding him that it was merely two years ago that he had started his life in the supernatural.

Ravel, who was accompanying him, talked about the next steps of Issei's economic and social recovery. From receiving the lost royalties from the Gremory Household, to restarting Issei's career as a celebrity and TV-Star, Issei viewed that her resolutions and plans for recovery of his economic status was ambitious, too ambitious for even him.

Issei was also not interested in becoming a celebrity again.

From what Ravel said, the [Oppai Dragon] show had been declining ever since his death last year, and the producers had tried to continue the show. The fact that Issei no longer existed and they tried to replace him, cause major protesting in the Underworld. The producers had to abandon the show and move on to their other projects, leaving Ravel hopeless, and forcing her to move on as well.

Now that he has returned, Ravel's desire to restart Issei's career was burning with passion and excitement.

"—And now that you have returned, we can start the show again!" Ravel excitedly declared, turning herself towards Issei with a smile.

"I am not doing—" he raised his voice with a hint of annoyance when he was announcing his disapproval to Ravel; however, because Ravel stop speaking and stared at him with a bewildered look, he stop his disapproval midway and thought twice about his selection of words. Issei does not want more conflict than he already has, and offending Ravel is not on 'to do list'.

"Were you going to say something, Issei-sama?" Ravel asked, somewhat interested.

For a few seconds, there was only silence between them.

"—Never mind, don't worry about it." he told her. Ravel did not questioned it, and continued to ramble.

"... _never mind, I think it is for best to tell her when I have a place to settle."_ Issei thought silently to himself, as he continued to daze around and ignore Ravel's rambling.

 **[Partner.]** Ddraig spoke to him. In Issei's consciousness, Ddraig stood on his four legs, surrounded by the everlasting blazing inferno.

" _Yo."_ Issei unemotionally respond.

 **[Kek! Finally, you have snapped out of your perverted delusions! Now my mental health can restore to normal, and now we can actually act like an actual [Heavenly Dragon].— Is what I should say.]** The large red Western Dragon spoke pridefully at first, which made Issei suck his teeth in annoyance. Ddraig's tone at the end, however, greatly surprised Issei.

" _What makes you say that?"_ the maple-haired Dragon Demigod asked in curiosity. Ddraig's usual stern gaze turned into somewhat a more confused look.

 **[I do not know if I should be delighted, or suspicious. I am conflicted and puzzled about your change of personality...are you sure you the same Hyoudou Issei that I know?]**

" _Yes, I am Ise, Draig."_

 **[Your response is not convincing.]** Ddraig zoomed his face towards Issei's, and the Red Dragon's red eyes gawked at him (AN: this is happening inside Issei consciousness).

" _...I still like woman's breast, if that is what you are wondering."_ Issei's assumption towards Ddraig's uneasiness about the lost of his pervertedness made the dragon sigh in relief.

 **[Oh, that is good to hear.]**

" _Ddriag, you are the last living thing that I expect to be relieved about this. I thought my pervertedness drained your mentality?"_

 **[Yes, but… it is good to know that you still kept some of your personality.]** the Red Dragon sighed. In Ddriag's long life, he had never imagined the possibility of gaining a host who had obtained the power of a Dragon God. It made him a bit afraid that his best host might become a different person because the power Akatosh gave him, but knowing Issei's confirmation, he can somewhat rest easy.

 **[I guess anything is possible.]**

" _You said it yourself, Ddraig. 'Anything is possible with determined stupidity.'"_ (A/N: Reference to Vol.4 Life 5)

* * *

Part 1

Shortly after entering the interiors of the Phenex Household, Ravel led Issei to a random guest room that the butler prepared beforehand. (A/N: Jeez, the Phenex Household has become somewhat of a major setting for the past few chapters. Sorry for the interruption, just wanted to point that out.)

The guest room was a stranded room, unlike the flashy rooms in the floors above, filled with beautiful, expensive and ancient furniture. It was almost the same VIP guest room that the [DxD] members used during their meeting yesterday. (A/N: The timeline is completely confusing, isn't it?)

There was multiple purple couches, and Ravel randomly sat on one of them.

"Please have a seat, Issei-sama." Ravel offered politely, placing her hand next to the left over space of the couch, signalizing him to sit next to her. Although Ravel was blushing with a dark shade of red on her face, her eyes had determination, as if she was mentally prepared for something.

Issei noticed her blush, but did not make anything out of it. It did spark his interest and curiosity; however, a weird feeling in his gut made him a bit suspicious. The young Dragon Demigod still complied to her offer, despite his suspicions, and sat next to her. Throughout her time with Issei, she was always blushing, and her eyes were locked onto him; Issei had noticed, but did not paid much attention to it until now. He was clueless about why he was here, alone with Ravel, instead of reuniting with everyone else.

But this was an incredible opportunity for Ravel to have Issei all to herself, even if it's just for a few minutes.

An opportunity to show him how much she really loves him. But also, this was an opportunity for her to understand Issei a bit more.

To understand his change of personality.

From the moment she entered his room at the hospital, she had not felt none of the immense sexual desire that he always had. It was not an understatement for her to say that she thought Issei was a different person. How could she not? Issei was called the 'Oppai Dragon' for a reason! The way he displayed his behavior did not match his usual persona.

It had been a year since he departed from everyone, but she did not expect him to change this much.

" _Maybe…"_ a sad look had suddenly appeared in her beautiful eyes as she came to a conclusion.

"— _The possibility of Issei finding a new love is to not be ignored!"_ she thought to herself.

Ravel was not a fool. How could she not know that there was a possibility of Issei falling in love with someone? Although a year is quite short for an average supernatural being, it was enough time to get familiarize with somebody and fall in love.

Ravel herself fell in love with Issei after his rating game with Riser.

At this time, she did not know what to do. She obviously did not want him to get away from her, rather she wanted to get close to Issei, a little closer, a little closer, a little closer again until these distances between the two vanished forever….

"W-We still haven't finished our discussion yet. So once we're done getting things together, we can go meet everyone else." Ravel said with a shaky tone, but still had the determination in her eyes, and blush on her face.

"Can we talk about something else, then?" Issei asked. Ravel nodded, understanding that talking about economics and celebrity life can be dull. This was also a opportunity for her to know what Issei had been doing for the past year, and why he had not come back sooner. Perhaps, maybe she can discover the identity of his 'secret lover'. Of course, Ravel was just being a bit paranoid about the 'secret lover' assumption.

Before she asked about his whereabouts, a strange sound started to emit from his stomach. Issei clutches his abdomen in slight angoy, and embarrassment. For a few seconds, Ravel only looked with puzzled eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong with Issei.

"...Are you hungry, Issei-sama?" she asked in concern, after realizing Issei had not eaten breakfast. Issei smiled apologetically at her, and only the rumbling sound of his agonized stomach responded to her obvious question.

 **[Issei is suffering from HIP, or Hunger Induced Paranoia. While he was unconscious at the hospital, I listened to the doctors conversations. He has not been eating properly for...well, I don't how long. Doctors were not to sure either, but they started it takes at most 50 days of malnutrition for an average supernatural being...which means that Issei has not eaten properly long than 50 days.]** Ddraig stated.

"And you haven't said a word about it!?" Ravel scolded Issei, making him blush and a bit nervous.

"W-Well, I did had a proper meal with 'that' family yesterday...or was two days ago?" Issei tried to recall the moments he spend with Vali's human family back at Europe, but his judgment of time slips, making him ponder. It's ironic that Issei's judgment of time is sort of failing, yet he is the Dragon Demigod of Time; however, just because he gain those powers, does not mean that his mortal comprehension and mentally was not completely gone. Being hungry for more than 10 days for a human alone will make them go mad, it was a miracle that Issei's mind had not degraded to that of a crazed animal.

Ravel immediately used a magic circle to summon the leftover food from yesterday's meeting that Dulio had not eaten. All the food were placed at a table, and Issei was automatically equipped with a handkerchief around his neck, and a fork and knife on his hands. When he look at the bountiful amounts of food, all of the sudden, his mouth became a bit watery and the desire to devour increased by folds. His eyes noticed a particular cheesecake with a certain frosting, and he decided his first pray.

"Please eat these, Issei-sama! Although they are leftovers, they can still satisfy your hunger." Ravel begged. Ravel's permission is what decided the fate of that phoenix tear frosted cheesecake. Having extreme restraint from obviating the cheesecake in one bite, Issei used his table matters, and proceeded to cut a piece of the cheesecake, and used his fork to have a taste.

Upon the touch of his tastebuds, the frosting melted, and Issei eyes bulged wide open. Then he chewed as fast as he could, and then swallowed rapidly.

 **[Looks like what little sanity he had left disappeared…]** Ddraig pitied the food, and gave them their last rites, although he did agreed it looked very delicious. Issei begun his feast, eating everything that Ravel had offered. With every bite, Ravel can hear his animalistic snares, and the slurping of the food. It reminded her of how Dulio eat his food yesterday, but Issei had a reason and excuse to eat like a crazed animal.

After a few minutes, Issei had eaten all of the leftovers, and in the first time in a while, he felt full. It was Ravel's chance to start up the conversation that she want to have with Issei.

Before she did, she completely discarded the chance of Issei having a secret lover. There was no way that any women, whether they were traditional, or modernized, would leave their love one hungry. (A/N: I used the terms traditional and modernized, instead of housewife and independent.)

"Where had you been all this time?" she directly asked.

"Somewhere in the Dimensional Gap." he immediately answered, vaguely, as he used his handkerchief to clean his mouth.

"Please do not pull my leg, Ise-sama. There was no way you could have been holding up in the Dimensional Gap for the past year. It's impossible." she spoke with a bit of anyonce and distrust in her tone.

"But I am telling the truth. I was _somewhere_ in the Dimensional Gap." Issei insisted.

"...Draig-sama, is he telling the truth?" Ravel directly asked Ddraig, who sigh exhaustively. Ravel thought that Ddraig, who is Issei's lifetime companion, would know everything about Issei. However, she stand corrected.

 **[I cannot say. I was stuck up in the Seventh Floor of Heaven for most of the time, and I was mostly naïve about his whereabouts.]** Ddraig had no reason to lie, and he himself was interested in hearing about Issei's story; He was not willing, however, to pry further until Issei opens up himself. Despite his naïveness, Ddraig understood that Issei was emotionally drained, and he needed counseling.

"Are you saying—" surprised, Ravel was about to ask a obvious question, which Ddraig interjected, already knowing what she was about to ask.

 **[Issei did not had me around during that time period.]**

The answer shocked Ravel.

"How is that possible? There is no way that you could have separated, unless…" Ravel speculated, but she thought it was impossible.

 **[Issei was actually killed by using his ultimate move, and he forcibly push Trihexa towards the sun with his body, causing both of them to be vaporized. Well, it was actually Akatosh, the Dragon of Time, that used Issei's body and sacrifice it in able to destroy Trihexa's main core. For some strange reason, I was not able to move on to another host, and I was stuck, sealed in a pedestal until Ophis, Rassei and Issei came and got me unsealed. I… still can't wrap my head around it; it is better for Issei to explain it.]**

"And I will, in due time. I just need… (pause)... I need more time to adjust and, put my thoughts together. It has been a heck of a ride, ever since I came back." Issei responded depressively. Ravel's attitude had completely disappeared, and showed a sympathetic expression. At that moment, she thought she had no right to question Issei without understanding the things he went through.

"I-I… I'm sorry." she deeply apologize. When Issei heard her apology, he instantly regretted saying that, and immediately wanted to punch the living shit out of himself. How could he possibly forget?

They suffered as much as he did. No, they suffered more. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. They had to accept the harsh reality of Issei being gone, forever.

"No, wait Ravel. Listen." Issei's voice became soft, but stern enough for her to listen attentively. He softly gripped her shoulders, forcing her to look his way; she did not resist, instead, she was greatly surprised.

"...I understand the pain you, Koneko, Asia, Xenovia, Irina, Akeno and Rias have went through. You guys must have been so lonely, so hurt, and so frustrated about the decisions I have made back then. I should have been more honest about my plans, and allow you guys to help me; but instead, I did things on my own, without saying anything to you guys. I abandoned DxD, I fought with Trihexa, and I ignored all of your feelings to complete my objective, my end of my bragin with Akatosh. I made you guys believe that I was dead. I did told Irina that I was returning in a year, but she most likely lost faith in me and force to move on; she most likely did not want to tell you guys this information, for you guys do not have to suffer the way she did. I admit it, I am the cause of that pain that you guys went through."

There was a short pause before he spoke again.

"Ravel, you're such a strong girl. I cannot imagine the amount of willpower you had to input when you saw me at that hospital. But now it's okay to let go; the things you wanted to say, the anger, the frustration, the pain… it's okay to let all out. I will listen."

After Issei expressed his understanding of how she felt, Ravel remain silent for a few minutes. It took her an incredible amount of focus and strength to remember the loneliest of her nights, where she cried endlessly, hoping that Issei will return one day. Those feelings of anger she somewhat had for Issei completely disintegrated when she heard the news from Ajuka, but now that Issei had sympathize with her— their plights, Ravel can now truly be honest with herself.

Not only did she suffered, she had to witness everyone else's suffering.

She remembered how much Koneko was at despair, but she could not release it because she tried to remind strong; but there were times when she skipped club meetings to be alone.

She remembered how Akeno would sit on the couch with lifeless eyes, staring into nothingness. Although she somewhat healed throughout the months, the death of Issei impacted her usual 'Onee-san' personality.

….And Asia, poor Asia was the one who suffered the most out of everyone; taking on the responsibilities of the President of ORC, maintaining her Devil duties, maintaining her grades, and going through the process of grief, it was too much for her to handle. There was a time where she almost committed suicide...

Ravel closed her eyes, trying to release the anger that she held for many months. Issei was right; he should not get away with hurting everyone, and Ravel had the right to express that anger: it was the first step to recovery.

But… no matter how much she convince herself to do so, she could not find it within her heart; although Issei did things recklessly, he was doing it for the benefit of everyone. At the end, she only sighed and looked into his brown eyes.

"...I-I am enraged at you Issei-sama. But… it was understandable on what you had to do. Still, I— we would have preferred if you were more upfront with us in the future. Making us worry like that, it is not good for our health. But please, never misunderstand: you are the most important management to me right now, and forever."

"...you are too generous, Ravel-chan. I—" as Issei was about to speak, she cut off his sentence... by placing her lips gently onto his.

It was not a passionate and hot kiss, but it was enough to stun Issei into confusion at first. But the movement of the small, warm, soft lips grinding against his brought him uncertainty, but yet a thrilling amount of pleasure. All of the sudden, the distance between the pair quickly vanished, as Ravel immediately clinged onto his arm and place it towards her body! The sensation of her breast were soft and tender on his arm; it would be a lie if Issei said he did not enjoy it! He also noticed that her bust size had actually increased a substantial amount, a miscalculation he had at the hospital.

Ravel's lips departed from his, and she placed her head on his chest.

"...Ise-sama, I love you." she spoke in a very low tone, her face beet red from embarrassment.

"...Um, my breath stinks, so it was really okay for you to kiss me in the lips?" Issei sarcastically said, but nonetheless he was utterly surprise by Ravel's daring advance. A love confession from Ravel was something that he did not expect. After a few minutes of stillness, he finally scathed his head in confusion, not really understanding what had happened.

"S-Starting now, you have to tell me everything. I-I will personally consult with you, and—" she was stuttering like crazy, still embarrassed from taking the initiative; she was too embarrassed to even continue her sentence.

There was a conflict on Issei's mind however, and he was torn on whether he should be open about his problem or keep quiet; but Ravel already caught onto him, due to her perception, and it would be unwise to not tell her anything. It would also be hypocritical of him if did not comply.

"You're not mad at me?"

"I-I am furious at you, Issei-sama. The only way I can forgive you is if you l-love me back."

"That's...you really are putting me in a impossible situation, Ravel."

"...How come?"

"...Just forget it, I promised your mother that I will take good care of you, and I intend to keep that promise."

"D-Don't try to dodge the question by flattering me~! We are not leaving this spot until you tell me everything!"

* * *

Part 2

At one of the Phenex Household underground segments, there is a training area that is used by Riser's peerage. Ever since Rias married Riser, her peerage had to migrate from the House of Gremory to the House of Phenex, thus both peerages use the training area. The area is one of the widest rooms that household had to offer. Just like the rest of the mansion, the training area has a red color theme blended with matching colors and white square tiles and a flag that has the family clan symbol. Equipped with utensils and implements that can be found in a private gym, from treadmills to a boxing ring, everyone has the tools to improve their abilities.

When Rias's peerage (plus Irina) and Riser's peerage are training together, they usually split into nine groups and different sections, depending on their abilities and rank.

The [Pawns], which consisted of Lle, Nel, Ni, Li, Marion, Burent, Shuriya, and Mira, work on their initial abilities and do regular routines, like building stamina or muscle. When they are done, they to the other groups and participate in their activities since [Pawns] have the ability to [Promote] to [Rook], [Knight], [Bishop], or [Queen].

The [Rooks], which consisted of Isabela, Xuelan, Koneko and Rossweisse, work on their superhuman strength, leading to high offense and defense. However, they are not very quick, and can get beaten easily by a high-speed opponent, so they also have to work on their durability by undergoing hand to hand combat situations. Rossweisse however has magical prowess in the use of Norse magic, specializing in long-range and bombarding attacks, thus she had to train with both [Rooks] and [Bishops].

The [Knights] which consisted of Kiba, Xenovia, Siris, and Karlmine, plus Irina, work on increasing their speed and mobility, enabling them to perform high-speed attacks and maneuvers. However, their main weakness is their low defense, making them vulnerable to powerful attacks if they are not careful, so they counter this increasing their awareness, which Irina and Xenovia are experts on, since both were warriors from the church. Another weakness among knights are their legs; if their legs are injured, their mobility is greatly reduced, so they work the durability of their legs.

The [Bishops], which consisted of Asia, Gasper, and Mihae, work on enhancing their magical abilities, which they can use to conjure up a multitude of spells. Gasper however is training his usage of his Sacred Gear.

The [Queens], which consisted of Akeno and Yubelluna, work on all the characteristics of Rooks, Knights, and Bishops, since they are the most balanced piece as well as the most powerful. Just like the [Pawns], after training their initial abilities, they go other groups and participate in their activities.

-Line Break-

Two weapons crossed their blades. Wearing training gloves, feminine figures were colliding with each other as if they were dancing. Sometimes they were slashing from top to bottom, and others bottom to top. Time to time they were jabbing at each other, avoiding each other's attacks by hair's breadth, and powerful attacks narrowly missed their cheeks.

Irina is currently having practice match against her best friend and valuable comrade, Xenovia. She and Xenovia are wearing their old church battle attires, since they thought the Kuoh Academy uniform was somewhat a little difficult to stretch and flex without tearing the cloth. It was not their usual routine, but since everyone else was training in the undercroft of the Phenex Household, it was wrong to go against the atmosphere.

At the climax of their match, Irina withdrew her primary weapon, [Hauteclere], and crossed her arms. Xenovia, a bit confused, also withdrew …. and listen what Irina had to say.

"Xenovia, can I borrow [Excalibur] for a little? I would like spar with Kiba-san against [Gram]." Irina asked politely. Xenovia shakes her head in denial of her request, and pointed at [Hauteclere], Irina's current primary weapon.

"Can't you use [Hauteclere]?"

"W-Well…[Excalibur] has more power, and if I am sparing with Kiba-san, then I want to go against his strongest sword." Irina said. Xenovia understood her logic; [Hauteclere] is more effective when exterminating enemies with dark auras, for example stray devils, vampires and ect. But when against a sword fight, especially against a sword like [Gram], it will be difficult for [Hauteclere] to go against it head on. However, Xenovia simply nodded her head in denial.

"Ah, I understand. A self-proclaiming swordsman like you needs someone else's weapon, since you have no confidence on your own." Xenovia teased with her eyes half closed. Irina's face turns red and begins to stomp on the floor, regardless of causing unwanted attention to herself.

"Mou!"

"Fufufu, seeing an angry 'Irina-chan' sure is entertaining. No wonder why Touji Shidou-san likes teasing you."

"Xenovia~! Why do you have to mention Papa?! Mou~! Fine! Let's have another sparring match, and if I win, I can borrow [Excalibur]."

"Ho? A challenge from an Angel? It seems that you are a self-proclaiming angel after all."

"You always call me a self-proclaiming angel!"

"Ladies, ladies...maybe we should take a break." Kiba suggested, trying to avert another quarrel between friends. Xenovia shrugged her shoulders in agreement and took a swing from her sports drink. Irina sighs in defeat and sits down on a bench next to Siris.

" _Maybe she is right… I don't have much confidence, but not because of [Hauteclere], but because—"_ as Irina ponder about her weaknesses, Siris, the [Knight] of Riser, asked her a question to her in a cheerful matter.

"Do you two always argue?" asked Siris. Her question snapped Irina from her mind and she responded somewhat awkwardly.

"A-All the time, but we are best of friends." Irina tried to answered delightfully, but she strutted a bit.

"I see. Quite a rivalry you two are having." Siris giggled.

"Yup!" Irina respond a bit more happily then before. Xenovia and her were always together after their partnership a few years ago. The moments that she spend with Asia and Xenovia were unplaceable. As she started to recall the memories with her friends, she reached a critical conclusion, and decided to share it to Siris.

"You know, almost four years when I was still an Exorcist, I faced Karlamine. Her being a reincarnated devil and I being a warrior of the church, I thought we were opposite existences: good vs evil type of thing. But now, I don't see much of a difference between me and Xenovia and you and Karlamine."

"What makes you say that?" Siris asked, curious about Irina's observation.

"You and Karlamine are [Knights] of Riser-san. You guys work together for the same common goal, but still compete against each other to improve your skills."

"Ah, I understand on what you are trying to say. Me and Karlamine are teammates, but also rivals."

"We also aren't as different than what we used to think, despite me follow the teachings of God, and you being a devil."

"Good point. If only the world weren't so ignorant…anyways, it seems that you will be having more competition since he has returned."

"What do you mean? Who is this 'he'?" Irina turns her head sideways in confusion.

"Haven't you heard the news? The media is going crazy about him!"

"I am not familiarized with the television programs here in the Underworld, so I am afraid that I am somewhat ignorant..."

"Your childhood friend, the one and only Hyoudou Issei-sama, has return." Irina eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets when she heard his name, and her mouth remains slightly open in shock.

"A-Are you absolutely sure that the news claim about Ise-kun is legitimate?" she finally asked after quickly regaining herself from the shock.

"Maou Beelzebub-sama and hospital staff confirmed it."

"Where is he now?"

"Serafall Memorial Hospital. Ravel-sama is currently visiting him as we speak."

"..." silence engulfed her as goes into deep thought.

Of course she was incredibly happy to hear the wonderful news; her face is brighter than ever before, her eyes twinkled, and her heart were beating like drums. But, there was a slight doubt in her heart. When she was heavily injured during the [Evil Dragon Campaign], Irina proposed to Issei after he spilled some of the truth about his new found powers, and he agree to her proposal. At first, she bluntly believed him. As the months gradually passed by, she feared that his promise could have been just a spur of the moment.

"Irina-san? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine."

"I thought your reaction to this would be more dramatic."

"Really?" she laughed nervously. On top of her doubt, her reaction was the way it was because Issei told her that he will return, and only told that to her, and no else. Irina never revealed it to nobody else, regardless if whether Issei intended to keep a secret or have her be the messenger.

It did not matter.

"Let's tell the others!" Siris said excitedly.

"I… I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"W-Well…. Nevermind. We are gonna have to stop everyone from their training sessions and gather them up. Siris-san, would you mind telling me what channel are they mentioning him?'

"The news channel of course."

"O-Obviously, but what number?"

"Oh, channel 98." (A/N: Just a random number, 98 has no significance.)

Irina hurriedly went to look after the controller.

-Line Break-

Outside the Phenex Household, a luxurious horse carriage was heading towards it, in the distance. The carriage was made out of agarwood, with some red diamond outlining and Phenex Household symbols. Four horsemen, around Mid-Class, lazily guarded the carriage. During their mission, they had encountered nothing out of originary, just the usual lone Stray Devil or a Rogue Priest.

One of the Horsemen, who seemed to be the captain, used his horse to get near the window of the carriage; it seemed he had something important to say.

"Riser-sama, we have almost reached our destination. Shall we call your severents to come greet you?" the Mid-Class Devil guard asked politely. Riser was sitting comfortably, with his back towards his comfortable seat, his hands folded, and a glass of some expensive wine. He weared his usual clothing, which consisted of a burgundy blazer with gold embroidery on the right with matching pants, and black dress shoes. Underneath his open blazer is a white dress shirt that is not fully buttoned, giving a slight view to his chest.

Across from him, Rias was sitting with one arm leaning on the window, viewing the scenery outside, watching the dead, ablazed trees pass by.

"Even if you did not...they will do it anyway. Do as you see fit." Riser unemotionally responded, taking a sip of his wine. The guard then turned towards Rias.

"I understand. How about you, Ojou-sama? Would you like us to call your severents to come out and greet you?"

"It has been awhile since I saw them, so they would naturally come and greet me." Rias giggled unintentionally. She always admired her servants loyalty to her.

"You heard the lady, so continue on with your duties." Riser sounded slightly annoyed by the guards perstering.

"Very well, if you will excuse us." the guard bowed his head, and continued his routine.

Rias looked displeased at Riser, which caused him to sweatdrop. It seemed that the way he responded to the guard slight ruined her mood.

"Did you have to sound so haughty?" she asked.

"It is a natural instinct. I, I will properly apologize later."

"I think they were not offended by it. But still, you need to let go of the arrogant attitude."

"Yes my dear."

"...Hmph." Rias groaned in dissatisfaction as she turned her back to the window, letting her crimson hair flow with the wind. (A/N: Is there even wind in the Underworld?) Riser sighed, wondering how would he ever get the [Crimson-Hair Ruin Princess] to open her heart.

As Rias continued to watch the scenery, she caught wind of a conversation between two of the guards.

"Have you heard the news while we took that break earlier?"

"Yeah... I have heard that Hyoudou Issei has return... but how is that possible?"

Those two sentences that came out of the guard's mouths were the only thing that she would hear from the guards, as they caught wind of Rias's stare and hushed up and continue with their duties.

(ROUNDABOUT SOUNDTRACK (0.41))

But it was already too late... Rias heard it loud and clear.

But before she had any time to react—

[STOP! IN THE NAME OF LORD BAEL, THE GREAT KING OF THE UNDERWORLD, HALT YOUR CARRIAGE AND COME OUT! LORD BAEL WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY DISCUSS WITH LORD AND LADY PHENEX WITH A MATTER THAT HAS GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE UNDERWORLD AND THE PRESERVATION OF HE PURE-BLOOD DEVIL RACE!]

 _ **To be continued...**_


	20. Disastrous Reunion (II), Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Telepathy

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

"... _ **Rot**_ …"- Words in Dovahzul

 _ **A/N: MIDTERMS ARE OVER! THANK YOU JESUS~!**_

 _ **Heyo! What's good y'all? Sorry to leave that chapter with a cliffhanger...just wanted to tease you guys a bit… hehehe.**_

 _ **Looks like in the end, I couldn't kept my promise on posting during January. Sorry.**_

 _ **I have been reading the 'Dark Tower' series by Stephen King after watching the 'Dark Tower' movie, to compare them both. So far, I am currently reading The Dark Tower I 'The Gunslinger', and I am enjoying the book and plot. I also have been reading a lot of Light Novels and fanfictions the past few weeks. As a fanfiction Author (and as a student as well), I think reading is great way to gain more experience in writing (no shit).**_

 _ **Dragonbreak Chronicles has reach 20 chapters! Not much of a milestone, but hey, the little things matter too! Not many of the stories that I wrote before had not even reach 10 chapters. So 20 chapters is impressive for me.**_

 _ **I am going to wrap up the first stage of Arc II, which is the return of Issei. Next chapter is the second stage of Arc II, which is going to bring a new atmosphere! Finally, Issei is going spend quality time on getting his life together! Expect a lot comedy, rivalry, and romance for the next chapters that are to come!**_

 _ **Oh, before you start reading, there is a decent amount of figurative language on this chapter, more particularly allusion. Most of the allusions are on the first part of the chapter, and they are references of the TV show 'Supernatural'.**_

 _ **I should have said this last chapter, but I forgot. Anyways, thank you guys for a successful 2017, especially during the summer, where most of my activity took place. I have no idea what 2018 has in store for me, but I know a lot of things are going to happen!**_

 _ **Well then, let's get to it!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

 _ **My Condolences to the students, teachers, and families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Even if there is a zero percent possibility that those from MSDHS read this particular fanfic, this shoutout is for you guys. Those who died may part with God, and those who survive may have everlasting peace for the rest of your lives. God Bless ~Josue561**_

 _ **P.S- I know I shouldn't add this after saying something as serious as the the paragraph above, BUT LET THIS BE KNOWN! Jiren 'bout to get longdicked by Goku.**_

* * *

" _Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps." — Deuteronomy 32:33_

" _Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet"— Psalm 91:13_

* * *

Disastrous Reunion (II), Arc II

Part 1

Once that first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. Her lips curled up as she tried to hold back the seething torrent of tears, but it was no use once that first droplet exposed itself to the air. The blue eyes twinkled with fury, with a mixture of sadness and betrayal as she look at him, stunned, unable to comprehend the words that came out of his mouth. Perhaps, because of that incomprehension, her emotions that she blocked off for such a long time had finally erupted. Her hands turned into fists, and the power of the Phoenix brust within her, as her wings unfurled with absolute demise. Heartbroken, Ravel looked into Issei's eyes, and only found two Iron swords staring at her. Her young heart felt aflamed, as if The Colt fired its six cartridges directly at her.

"Why would you say such a thing!" she roared, but her voice also cracked, causing her to cough slightly. Occasional sniffs to hold back the mucus can be heard, but she still waited for his response. No, she thought it was her _right_ for Issei to explain himself for the blasphemy he had just said, at least, it was blasphemy to _her_. The young Dragon Demigod was not startled, nor showed any emotion by her display of childish behavior (expected for a spoiled princess that had been fed with a golden spoon her entire life). Instead, the teen kept a collective attitude, keeping his emotions in check, although his eyes was intoxicated by an orange aura.

"Ravel, Oppai Dragon is—" at that split second, he purposely bit his tongue to stop himself from phrasing it the way that was inappropriate; saying that the Oppai Dragon was dead is somewhat of a hyperbole on his part, since a pair of a woman's luscious, soft, and abundant breast will always accommodate in his preferences, Dragon Demigod or not. But becoming mature as he enters the depths of the supernatural was also important for him, and since he has no faction or religion to affiliate to, he had to represent himself as a being of the highest ability, and _perversion_ is not a good characteristic for him to represent with.

"I can no longer represent myself as that idolic figure anymore. As the person who defeated Trihexa, _everyone_ of every faction will look upon me as a figure of admiration and power. When there is a major conflict, or a state of emergency, everyone will look towards me… I cannot represent myself as the 'Oppai Dragon' when it comes to times like those." Issei's voice had the effect of boosted holy water, and those words made her face feel as if her skin was eradicated from her flesh, just like what had happened to her brother back then. This was no illusion, nor misinterpretation. Issei expressed his desire to erase what Ravel thought to be his identity. But somewhere in her heart, she knew that Issei was being logical.

There was also another factor, which was more important; he did not mention it, but his perversion can be a key exploitation to the enemies, and can be used against him. The perfect example of that was Raynare, the Fallen Angel beauty whose blood runs cold through his veins. Occasionally throughout his trial, Issei had night terrors of Raynare, torturing his heart and reminding him that he was weak without Ddraig and Akatosh. Of course, once Issei had gotten used to his new found powers, he eradicated every single warm emotion towards her, and the night terrors easily faded away.

There, that's when he realized that he was right; if Raynare was his damnation, then Irina must be his salvation.

"Also—" he gave a short pause, then looked towards the exquisite flower that was in front of him. The distance between them shorten, and Ravel, still outraged and distressed, averted her teary sapphire-like eyes away from him, and sobbed quietly. He did what he could, and attempted to ease the heart of the beautiful Phoenix, by patting her on the head. Slowly brushing through her blonde drills, Issei's hand sense a rapid motion, almost like a twitching sensation on her body in response to his comfort. For the most part, Ravel was not displease with it.

"...Also, I want to change. To change into a better man, to mature myself and help people rely on the righteous. To fix the injustices of the supernatural… but it is perhaps too cliche; in many stories, the hero was always the one to banish the evil and persevere the righteous. It is too ambitious for a teenager like me, who did not even graduate high school yet. Yet… that is the goal I want to pursue." Issei said softly, but also with confidence.

Ravel simply nodded her head in denial, as she continued to whimper against the Dragon Demigod's chest. Issei continued to pat her head, softly caressing through the blonde hair.

"...You are starting to sound like Cao Cao." Ravel semi-mocked Issei, still showing signs of her disapproval, but she wrapped her arms around his waist, and her delicate body was pressed onto his. Issei's lower abdomen can feel the tremendous pounding of her heart, and her wings of enteral fire were wrapped around him. For some odd reason, the wings of fire didn't hurt him, but brought him a sense of comfort and warmth. Issei looked into Ravel's wet eyes, and the strong-heartedness of her will shone so brightly that Issei couldn't help but smile.

"Are you sure? ...Lots of children will be disappointed, if you abruptly quit." Ravel bruntly asked him, putting some force in her voice as she said the last part.

"I have too, Ravel."

"But still, you can continue the TV show! Just because you change, it doesn't mean that you have to throw away everything… think about your fans, Issei-sama."

"No means no, Ravel. I'm sorry."

"Issei-sama, you are being selfish! All that time I put into, in effort to persevere your reputation—"

"I never asked you to maintain my reputation." Issei fired back, the imagery Colt fired another cartridge towards her inflamed heart.

" _Why is he acting like this!"_

...

"...What made you change?" she asked silently with the taste of disbelief on her lips.

"...I've learned some harsh lessons, that's all." Issei finally spoke and gave his answer to Ravel.

The young Phoenix's eyes twitched. At first, she twitched in anger, not understanding what Issei meant. She wanted to say something hurtful, something that can satisfy the anguish pain in her heart. But then logic literally smacked her across her white, smooth cheek.

Does she really want to ruin her relationship with the young Dragon Demigod, after she confessed her feelings?

Did she just prioritize a _fucking_ TV personality instead of the real man that had been declared dead?

The blue eyes that had been blinded by selfishness and emotion, finally saw the heart of the Dragon Demigod.

Shattered.

Ripped apart and lazily put back together, like a broken jigsaw puzzle.

After her realization, it was dreadfully silent. Ravel's anxiousness rose, and her wings of oblivion had been dispatched rather instantaneously, as if a tsunami eradicated the flames. The maiden's heart, once filled with fury and zeal, suddenly felt an Iron hand, gripping it with all its might, and pulling downwards in an incredible pace, as if gravity had multiplied at least twice as much.

She awaited for Issei bashing, but it never came. All this time, as she acted selfish, Issei was extremely patient.

He gently grasped her shoulders, and made her paid close attention to what he was about to say.

"Be the master of your own fate, Ravel, and accomplish what you want to accomplish. Forget my reputation, it is not worth throwing your opportunities away. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't be dependent on you, but not as my serevent who has a killer rack, not for that [Bishop] piece, not as my manager, but as Ravel, the individual that is inside of your heart. So please, do not push yourself to thinking that you are compelled to serve me. From now on… instead of you helping me reach my goals and get nothing out of it, I will help reach yours as compensation. As a woman, no, as a _living being_ , you have the right to liberty and happiness. And nobody, not even the Maous, not even your father or mother, not even _me_ , can take it away from you. I will protect you, and _everyone_ , from those who want to destroy everyone's happiness and liberty. And protect the peace, so I can live quietly for the rest of my days. That is… my true desire."

The words that came out of Issei mouth, can only be described as pure enlightenment. At that moment, Ravel tears instinctively overflowed once again. But, the tears were different than from earlier; from most of her life, Ravel, regardless of whether it was in her ordinary school life, or as the Issei's manager, never showed any weakness. There were times that she cried, but only when she was in extreme pain, or when she showed regret, which both were extremely rare. The only time she cried out of joy… was when Issei comfort her like this.

Everything that Issei said was totally against the teachings of the old— but that's what made Ravel cry in joy. With Issei...she doesn't have to follow the rules of Pure-Blood engagement, she can follow her own path, and marry the person she wants to marry (AKA Issei :p), and not be dominated by patriarchy. She began to holler, and her nose went running with mucus. She hugged Issei like never before, clinging onto him as if he was going to disappear, and she began to moan his name loudly; it was a miracle that nobody came to check on them.

"There, there...let it all out, baby girl."

"Issei-sama, Issei-sama, Issei-sama...*sob* Issei-sammaaaaaaa! *sob* I-I-I-I *hick* love youuuu! Waaaahhhh!"

"Hai, hai. I love you too, Ravel."

"Issei-sammmaaaaaa!"

"Shhh...don't cry so loudly. Here, have some tissues." Issei handed over a tissue box that was conveniently on top of the table. Ravel blew her nose violently with the tissue that Issei handed over.

"...*sob* Once again...I…*hick* I doubted you...I-I thought you've changed….B-But in reality *hick*, you have actually become the hero of the stories that I admire so much…"

"What's different between me and Cao Cao, is that Cao Cao believes that it is his right to save people because he is a descendant of a hero...I believe that everyone can be a hero, if it is out of their own will."

"...*sob* I-I'm sorry for comparing you to Cao Cao…"

"No worries. You were just angry and confused...that's all."

"...*sob, What about you, Issei-sama…? Y-Your heart…"

"...I'll let it all go once I visit my parents grave. I-I… can't let it go yet… not until I see Irina."

"You, you were looking for Irina-sama this entire time…?"

"Yeah, I have a promise to fulfill…"

"...I understand, Issei-sama."

But it was only a matter of time before she will begin to ask questions about his whereabouts from the past year. He needed to move away from discussing about 'Oppai Dragon', as he knew it will lead to things that he wasn't mentally prepared to answer yet.

An uneasy silence engulfed the duo as Issei contemplated for a good while. His train of thought was all over the place, did not know where to start or what topic he should prioritize when he needed to answer those questions: _[Ancient Evil Dragons], [Dragonbreak], Ancient Ruins, Akaviri Scrolls, [Amulet of Kings], Akatosh, and Dawnbreaker_ :

In simpler terms… absolute bullshit, speculation, something that a _crazy person_ would talk about. Because to everyone else besides him (and maybe Ophis and Great Red?), no one of this dimension knows about these things, for the exception of Irina, but even her knowledge was limited to only what Issei told her during the [Evil Dragon Campaign]. How the hell would he explain _this_ to Ravel? Shit, Akatosh might have been part of the [ExE] world that Rizevim was trying to get in contact with! If that was the case, would that make Issei a hypocrite? Few minutes passed, and he had an unusual expression; he was cautious about choosing his words, and he found it difficult to even start talking about everything that he discovered at the Forgotten Valley. He sighed defeatedly, and tiresomely; he immediately buried all those doubts and negative feelings in the deepest, nether region of his heart…

"Let's forget about the 'Oppai Dragon' stuff, ne? Let's talk about something else…" Issei cooed into Ravel's ear, attempting to sway her into having a conversation without speaking another word about 'Oppai Dragon'. Somewhere in his conscious, Ddraig simply thought how much of a hypocrite Issei was. Ravel, still whimpering, did not say a word.

"You've grown since last time… you're 17, right?" he asked, and Ravel's ears slightly twitched.

"...*sob*, y-yes, I'm 17…" she responded.

"Ah… sorry, I missed your birthday."

"...*hick*, you missed everyone's birthday, even yours, b-baka."

"Yeah, I did."

"...Did you...d-did you get me a present?" even though her tears overflowed, she still managed to find a way to tease Issei. Perhaps, she said that to make him feel guilty. A tsundere's emotions are complicated for his mind to decode. But, the jokes on her.

"Actually...I did." he smiled at his own self-victory. A magic circle appeared on his left hand, and he summoned an object that seems to be a ring. Ravel's eyes widened in surprise, as Issei took her hand, and dropped the ring into her palm. Ravel immediately inspected the ring, and she realized that the exquisite gem was the same color as her eyes: Sapphire. She touched the gemstone, and it felt cold to the touch; it was smooth, but dense. The band was made out of ebony metal, the most rare and inaccessible ore in the entirely of the supernatural world. (A/N: The term Ebony that was used here is a black metal ingot from the video game _Skyrim_ , not to be confused with the Ebony wood.)

In all of her life, Ravel went to multiple parties and events as a Underworld's upper class member, and saw many priceless jewelries: from family heirlooms, to well-crafted jewels. But the ring was one of kind, and its beauty outlasted even the finest craftsmen in the Underworld. After inspecting the ring, Ravel eyes lit up, and she grabbed Issei's shirt in excitement!

"...Are you being serious, Issei-sama? A-Are you….proposing to me?" Ravel completely misunderstood Issei's present.

"Ha? N-No! This is just your birthday gift! I-I… I am not mentally prepared—" as Issei tried to cleared up the misunderstanding, Ravel's body trembled.

"R-Ravel?"

"…."

"Ravel-chan?"

"Baka."

"Urgh…"

-Line Break-

Amidst the excitement and the disturbance of public order within the capital city of Lilith, the leaders of the Underworld government (for the expectation of Lord Bael) met in a secluded, isolated area. The topic they were going to discuss about was obvious; the return of Hyoudou Issei. But the discussion was not just about that, but how to integrate Issei back into Devil society. Of course, the only ones who were absolutely grateful and joyous about his return was Sirzechs and Serafall. Ajuka and Falbium were neutral about the situation, although Ajuka did said that Issei was becoming a major interest to him (A/N: Wtf is this fruity shit? Lol).

On the other hand, the members of the council only saw Issei as a asset, a source of power that they can use. Most of the members of the council were old transitional Devils that fully support the ideology of the supremacy of Pure-Blood Devils, and the bureaucracy of statues and political power.

"What the hell are these old geezers chit chatting about?" Serafall openly expressed her discomfort towards the council members; she detested them for what they had said towards Sona about her dream during the gathering of the Young Devils.

"As always, their interests seems to be their priority." Sirzechs also openly expressed his disapproval, following the example of Serafall. He knew exactly what those old, greedy bastards were talking about, and he had a half of mind to expose them. He digressed however, disregarding his emotions and focused on the matter that had most utmost importance.

"I know right? Ise-kun is a hero! Not some chewing toy for these old perverts." Serafall declared. The magic-girl Maou has a deep respect and admiration towards Issei, and she was absolutely grateful for his sacrifice; if it weren't for him, Serafall would be sealed alongside with the rest of leaders of the supernatural, fight Trihexa, and be separated from Sona for thousands of years. When she heard that Michael had engaged in hostility toward Issei, she immediately prepare for an all out war. Of course, through the sheer persuasion of Sona and her most trusted colleagues, she discarded the idea, but was still displeased on how Michael treated Issei.

" _This is a sin of the utmost treachery. I am prepared to apologize to Issei-kun when he awakens._ " Michael said in his report. When reading the report, Sirzechs simply scratch his head in total confusion; Serafall overreacted; Ajuka and Falbium did not expressed their opinions, and simply shrugged their shoulders in exhaustion. (A/N: Serafall is not in love with Issei; she pretty much view him as a younger brother, just like Grayfia, and as a dear friend).

"I hope you youngsters know that this meeting isn't only about the Sekiryuutei, but the [DxD] meeting that occurred yesterday, _and_ the situation between the House of Bael and House of Gremory." one of the council members stated, putting heavy emphasis on the last part of his sentence. Sirzechs immediately raises his hand to silence the mumbling within the council members.

"I understand that perfectly well. Well then, let us beg—"

Just as Sirzechs was about to officially begin the discussions and negotiations, the doorknob violently turned, and the creaking sound of the hinge and iron fittings can be heard; multiple heavy footsteps echoed throughout the undercroft, following the loud slam of the door closing.

"I hope we aren't intruding." without a timid expression, a tall man spoke with a hint exaggeration. He appearing to be in his twenties with an average build, black hair, golden bangs and black goatee. On his left side, a middle-aged, gruff-looking man with black hair, matching beard and a muscular body was accompanying him.

Glancing at them, Sirzechs's lip's end rose as if happily.

" _Good, our insurance is here."_

"What is the meaning of this, Lucifer-sama?! Who invited these creatures—"

"I invited them. As Governor of the Fallen Angels, he has every right to attend this meeting. So does the Vice-Governor." the sharpness of Sirzechs's voice immediately silence one of the council members. But not the entirely of them.

"I suggest you keep your authority in check, _boy_. Inviting those who are outside of Devil politics are not allowed, even if they're high ranking officials of other factions." a council member, who appeared to be in his sixties, immediately used his arrogance and position as one of Lord Bael's closest advisers, to attempt to put the council members above the Maous. Azazel clicked his tongue in disgust.

"What a bunch of conservatives. I almost mistook them for the Old-Satan Faction." Azazel coldly expressed his humor, causing Serafall and Sirzechs to chuckle; Ajuka and Falbium smiled widely at the joke, as they thought it was cheesy.

"You think this is funny, _Fallen_?"

"Not as funny as your hypocrisy. Makes me look like a saint, compared to you."

"THAT IS ENOUGH! Although you were invited by Lucifer-sama, you two _Fallens_ have no authority here. I suggest you leave quickly—"

"And I suggest you should let them stay and keep your mouth shut, you old buffoon." Sirzechs's power of destruction rose as he lost his patience with the council members. Most of their arrogant attitude shattered away with the feel of the power of destruction.

"As for you, you remember _your_ place. Without Lord Bael's protection, your status and political power would have been stripped. Don't make me expose you." the reincarnation of destruction's eyes pierced through the advisor, making him bite his lips in furry.

"...Do as you please." the old advisor sulked in embarrassment and defeat.

Once the bickering between the council members and Maous (Plus Azazel and Baraqiel) had ended, the two Fallen Angels took their seats at the gorgeous and pompous looking table.

"Your tea, Lucfier-sama." Grayfia handed over a cup luxurious tea to Sirzechs. He thanked her politely, and she bowed her head down in response to his thanks. Then, she returned to the tea preparing cart, and gave the same courtesy to all the members. After Grayfia gave everyone the tea, the air suddenly was enveloped by the quietness, and everyone had a serious face. The council members had an accurate idea about the reason why the seriousness and stillness was going around.

 _[As we thought, they are going to talk about the Sekiryuutei]_

"So, where's Issei?" Azazel broke the silence by asking the first question, which seemed important to him.

"Serafall Memorial Hospital." Sirzechs answered.

"Make sense. There is a lot of activity going on there…kukuku, he'll be happy once he knows that there a lot beauties that became his diehard fans!" Azazel was delighted and blissful. The death of his favorite pupil, the greatest mystery that he had been trying to solve, had been solved for him. (A/N: Let's be honest, Azazel will be probably more interested on Ddraig than Issei. A phenomena like [Boosted Gear] sealed within the Seventh Floor of Heaven is something to not be ignored.)

"I'm sure he will be. Ajuka, your report?"

"Yes, Lucifer-sama." (A/N: I think it would be fitting to call them by their titles during a formal setting like this). Within a snap of his fingers, Ajuka summoned a stack of papers, which contained medical information about Issei.

"These are just the common rabble. What you want to look at, is this—" Ajuka used his other hand to summoned a small box; everyone's eyebrow went up a notch when they saw the box, which was specifically used to hold [Evil Pieces]. Ajuka opened the box, and what appeared inside the box was dust.

"This dust used to be the 8 mutated [Pawn] pieces that I solely prepared for Issei-kun. When I approached him the offer for him to become a Devil again under Rias, he grabbed the [Pawn] pieces and attempted to be reincarnated. But, the [Pawns] simply vaporized into dust."

"Of course it will, you haven't perform the ritual." the advisor for Lord Bael spoke in arrogant tone. Ajuka simply smiled at the old council member.

"Of course, that is common knowledge. But I am the person who created the [Evil Piece System], so I don't really need to perform the ritual like everyone else. Sure, I could have done it to be more successful, but in the end, it would have the same result." Ajuka explained to the old council member, who sucked his teeth in annoyance.

"That doesn't still answer the question." Azazel expressed his confusion, not understanding the phenomena.

"The answer is quite simple, Governor. Hyoudou Issei is simply too powerful for 8 mutated [Pawns]."

Upon hearing Ajuka Beelzebub's response, everyone faces became distraught.

"Impossible! Even for a Dragonoid Human like Issei-kun, 8 mutated [Pawn] pieces would surely be enough..." Serafall immediately showed her concern, as her eyes shone with a certain nervousness that made her extremely cute.

"Issei-kun is no longer just a Dragonoid Human; he is a Dragon Demigod. A Dragon Demigod who processes the [Boosted Gear]."

"A— A Dragon Demigod…"

"My hypothesis is this: Hyoudou Issei never truly died. Instead, he was ascended to a higher being."

"Beelzebub-sama, that explanation makes no sense, and it was too short. It also doesn't explain how Ddraig was sealed in the Seventh Floor for an entire year."

"And that's why I said it was just a hypothesis. A shitty one too; But I have no evidence to backup my hypothesis besides this. Issei-kun promised me that he would share all of his information in two days prior, in the Three Factions meeting."

"I-I see… so Issei-kun can't become a Devil anymore…"

"Don't be so sad, Sirzechs. He seemed quite happy nonetheless."

"Beelzebub-sama, it is time to move on. We have limited time, and I rather discuss about the marriage proposal between Ravel Phenex and Magdaran Bael." the old council member lost his patience, and demanded to start the next discussion. The other council members followed his example, and they begun to complain and bicker.

"For once, can we not discuss topics about the _power_ struggles? Is it enough that I had to forcibly proposal a marriage between my little sister and Riser?!"

"There must a balance between the House of Gremory and House of Bael—" as the old geezer continue to run his mouth, Azazel readied a spear of light, and threw it towards him. It barely missed him, and a few pieces of hair were cut to demonstrate his accuracy.

"You're annoying. Can you shut up?"

"Is that a declaration of war, _Fallen_?"

"A declaration towards _you_ lot, not the Devils in whole." Azazel smiled mercilessly.

"I can agree with that, perhaps we need a demonstration." Sirzechs stood up and encased himself in the aura of Destruction. He rose his right hand and gathered some of his arua, and then expanded it into a ball. The council members immediately shrieked in fear.

"T-There's no need for that! Fine! It seems that we are not welcomed here."

"Exactly. So get out." Sirzechs commanded them.

"Lucifer-sama, you are letting your feelings get in the way...again." Falbium, who had been silent throughout the meeting, spoke in a clam, elegant matter.

"Although we are the Maous, they are the ones who govern the Underworld. Please, show them some respect."

"...I know my place, Asmodeus-sama. ...Please forgive me." Sirzechs bit his lower lip as he bowed and apologize to the council members.

"You youngsters ought to know respect. True, we have committed our crimes, and do not deserve to be here, but yet through the mercy of the Lord Bael, we maintain our position, and reconstruct many of the things we may have caused damage. We have paid our debt."

"Argh! It sickens me to have these two _Fallen_ here. Maous, do your job and get them out, before we will _replace_ you."

* * *

Part 2

[STOP! IN THE NAME OF LORD BAEL, THE GREAT KING OF THE UNDERWORLD, HALT YOUR CARRIAGE AND COME OUT! LORD BAEL WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY DISCUSS WITH LORD AND LADY PHENEX WITH A MATTER THAT HAS GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE UNDERWORLD AND THE PRESERVATION OF THE PURE-BLOOD DEVIL RACE!]

A magic circle with the House of Bael insignia inscribed in it appeared in front of the carriage that Rias and Riser were riding on. The two guards immediately kicked the horse's stomach, to gain momentum, and scout the area ahead of them. A few moments later, the guards used a hand signal to tell the carriage driver to stop the carriage.

"Blockade!" yelled one of the guards.

The carriage suddenly went into a completely halt, and because of the first law of Newton, Rias immediately went flying towards Riser direction. Riser, of course, catched her within his embrace, and stopped her safely. Perplexed at the strange sight of Rias losing balance like that, Riser knew something was wrong.

"Rias… are you okay? The carriage wasn't even moving that fast, you could have easily stood on your seat… are your legs numb, perhaps?" Riser concernedly asked. There was no response from the princess of Gremory. Her eyes were grayed out, and it seemed that her psychological support was gone.

It was bizarre sight for him.

"Rias, darling, are you okay!?" Riser shook her shoulders violently, trying to get her sense back. But it was to no avail.

It instantly reminded him of that time… when Rias had hid inside her room in the castle while holding onto Issei's [Pawns]. Mentally devastated, she never opened the door to Riser at that time. Seeing her like this now, Riser can only come up with one explanation:

Some new information regarding Hyoudou Issei had came up.

But he quickly discarded that conclusion, for it made no sense to him. Hyoudou Issei was dead, and that was that; after months of attempting to find traces of him and no luck, the leaders of the Faction declared him KIA. Ra, the Egyptian Sun God, bared witness to the entire battle between Issei (Akatosh in reality) and Trihexa, and he stated that Issei literally threw himself towards Trihexa, and pushed himself all the way to the sun, causing both of them to be vaporized.

Finally, after contemplating for a few seconds, Riser realized… that yesterday was the first anniversary of the [Evil Dragon Campaign]. Most likely, Rias forgot about it, and she felt an immense guilt for it after realizing that she had forgotten what yesterday was. But it didn't make sense to him either, for he thought Rias had completely moved on from him.

"Lord Riser, There is a blockade by the troops of Bael. We accumulated an estimate count of 20 Mid-Class troops, 2 High-Class troops, and there's Lord Bael himself!" the guard issued his report fearfully, knowing that their forces outlasted them by a landslide. Riser angrily glared at the soldier, and although Rias usually criticizes Riser for his hasty attitude, he was at crunch for time for him to check his emotions.

"You! Immediately convey a message to our peerages!"

"Yes Milord!"

"Also, get in contact with either the Maous or Lord Gremory!"

"I am on it Milord!"

"S-Shit, this is the worse timing to talk about politics… that damn Bael, no wonder why Sairaorg and Lady Gremory immediately decline to help with his schemes! R-Rias! Please! This is not the time to mourn about Hyoudou!"

"...He will never look at me the same again...I'm filthy...I've abandoned him…" Rias begun to whisper words that made no sense to Riser. Her body trembled, and she hid her face behind her delicate hands.

"Why are you like this now?! Don't you see that we are in a situation that can result in a drastic change in our society?! Forget Hyoudou! He's dead, you can not bring back the dead, Rias! As much as I hate to admit it as well, this is reality! Please, pull yourself together!"

"...Leave me alone, Riser. I wish to see nobody…"

"For the love of my ancestors, you going to let a crisis happen in the Underworld because of your weak self? You fall this fucking low, just because your ex's is dead, Rias? You were supposed to be a better woman than this. Hyoudou would have never fallen in love with you if this is what you do in times like these."

"...How can I explain to him that I am married woman?" she asked herself that question. Riser sucked his teeth, and gave up on reasoning with Rias. As the argument was folding, the captain of the guard dismounted his horse and went towards the couple in distress.

"Milord, may I have permission to speak?"

"...Go ahead." Riser was mentally exhausted from the trip and trying to get Rias back on her feet. At that point, he didn't want to spare energy to hold up his attitude.

"...Perhaps the reason why Rias-sama is acting this way is because of my disciple's talk of the return of Hyoudou Issei."

"...Huh?"

"When we took that break, the guards immediately check the news and media, and it was flooded with articles about him."

"...Impossibl— No...why am I surprised? It makes sense now…"

"W-What makes sense, Milord?"

"Okaa-sama gave me this modified [Bishop] piece… and said to give it to a certain person who would be Ravel's guardian. That certain person must be…! I see now...Bael's desperate. But then why he didn't went straight to the mansion if he was looking Ravel?"

"...Ravel-sama is currently with Hyoudou Issei at the Serafall Memorial Hospital."

"...Nice one, Ravel!"

"M-Milord! Please forgive me for speaking out of hand, but you seem to be in a mood switch."

-Line Break-

"What wrong, Irina-san? What is it that you want to show us?" Asia asked, curious about what Irina was going to show them, since it seemed important.

"This—" Irina hastily clicked the buttons that were on the remote controler, and directly went to channel 98. Once the television screen came alive, the news reporter's voices echoed throughout the entire gym.

Everyone's eyes were glued to the the captions that were at the bottom of the television screen because it was the most appealing; it's wasn't the font of the letters, nor the colors, but what the captions actually said.

It read: [Return of Oppai Dragon]

Of course, it really did get their attention, but the captions were simply too vague for them to understand. The Gremory group hearts jumped to cloud nine, at first thinking that their truest desire had finally come true. Just before anyone had the chance to shed a tear, a reality check came and backhanded them. They knew that Issei wasn't coming back; it wasn't like before, where Ophis and Great Red granted him a new body made out of their flesh and power.

But then, the news reporter gave his report:

[Is this just a coincidence?! Yesterday was the first anniversary of the [Evil Dragon Campaign], but we just received additional reports that Hyoudou Issei-sama actually had revealed himself yesterday in a quick fierce battle with the Valkyrie squadron! Just now, the Valkyrie squadron faithfully apologized to Hyoudou Issei-sama! He has actually returned~! No matter how many time our news reporters had said it, we won't get tired of saying it~! He is currently in the hospital, making a full recovery from his injuries! We still don't have access to enter the Hospital and have a word with Hyoudou-sama… it seems that the medical officials are panicking a bit in there…]

Now with confirmed information, it seemed that their hearts went to cloud eighteen. At that time, a wave had swept the Gremory group with emotions that they had locked up in their hearts for such a long time… they felt in their very bones, that the old, invincible, and unstoppable group was coming back together again.

"Ueeeeeeeeeeeen! Ise-saaaaaan!" Asia's cries echoed throughout the gymnasium, and the usual 'Ise-san' repetition button was switched on, causing her to become a broken record. The cry of joy and the repeating of his name encouraged Akeno, Koneko, Rossweisse, Kiba, Gasper, Xenovia and Irina to follow her example of celebrating the miracle that was Hyoudou Issei.

Inside the despair, they've found the light, the light that they can never, ever replace.

"I-Irina— please, p-pinch me. No, if this is a dream, then I don't want to wake up! Irina, hurry up and tell me if this is real! I-If you keep making me wait, I might collapse in various senses!" Xenovia's entire body trembled as she nervously asked Irina to give her confirmation, while she cried out some incomprehensible things. Grasping onto her shoulders, Irina felt that the power of her idiocy might rip her arms right out her sockets!

"Xenovia~!" Irina cried out her best friend's name in joy and in pain. She believed it the entire time; she prayed, and prayed, and prayed for him to back into her loving grace— to everyone's loving grace… and somehow, although God was dead, her wish had been answered.

"Yes, I'm not crying. I knew that the man I have chosen won't die." Xenovia hypocritically stated, as tears came swarming down her cheeks and she bear hugged Irina.

"As if! You've said the same exact thing last time! You are crying! I'm going to cry without holding back! Ueeeeeeeen! Ise-kuuuuun!" hollering his name, Irina immediately joined the bandwagon; out of all people, she felt that she was the one who shouldn't cry, knowing that Issei was coming back after a year. Still, the happiness and excitement of starting a new life together with him made her follow Asia's example.

"...There used to be a time when I thought, no matter how strong Ise-senpai was… there will be a time when he reached his limit. ….But it seems that after so many miracles…. Senpai is selfish, acting on his own...baka Senpai…" Koneko hid her eyes with her sleeve while crying out. She believed that her destined one had reach the realm of idiocy.

"Ise-kun… oh, Ise-kun…." the most mentally fragile of them all, Akeno whimpered happily. She was completely faithful to him, and mostly criticize Rias for agreeing to marry Riser. After Issei's death, she went through very difficult times, especially coming to terms with reality and move on. She lost hope, but it always was her fantasy to have Issei in her dreams. Now, that dream was about reality, the reality that she wanted.

"Waah! Ise-senpai is alive!" Gasper, although a boy, had feelings for this individual (not yaoi). He always had relied on him on support, and viewed him as a big brother that he would have had.

"How many times is that boy gonna revive?! This is his third time dying!" Rossweisse expressed her surprise towards the news. For Issei to be this lucky, she sort of regretted giving her the nordic talisman, for she needed that talisman to find herself a boyfriend; but then, she simply shrugged her shoulders, knowing that Issei would take responsibility for her.

"Jeez, Ise-kun… always acting like a hero whenever you pleased." Kiba sighed deeply in refreshment; his smile was stretched toward the end of each ear, and his eyes were watery. His pal, his only best friend since 'that' forsaken project, had return to the world.

Everyone in the Gremory group was joyful; the Phenex group simply looked with happy and caring eyes, and also joined in on the celebration.

Until a distress magic circle appeared.

-Line Break-

"Ah, Ah, Ah—cooooooooo!" Issei ironically sneezed into the tissue. He suddenly felt that something was wrong, and a chilling sensation went through his spine like fire ants walking on his kneecap. For a split second, he expected something or somebody to jump out and attack him; Ravel looked at him strangely, and wondered if Issei was just under the weather.

"I-Issei-sama, did you catch a cold?" Ravel asked with concern, and Issei quickly softened his expression.

"No, I just felt a disturbance in the force." he said, narrowing his eyes towards the door that lead to the hallway. He felt that something was wrong, but yet he couldn't place his finger on it. The feeling of uneasiness and uncertainty made him extremely uncomfortable, and he couldn't shake off the anxiety in his heart.

"I don't quite understand what you're saying." puzzled on what he said, Ravel's head leans to side to demonstrate her confusion. It seem really cute to him to see the imaginary question mark on top of her head, her finger placed upon her chin, and her lapis lazuli eyes widen with curiosity; it seemed that she still hasn't watch all the movies that modern human world had to offer, and her ignorance ruined Issei's pun.

"Ah, don't' worry about what I said, it was just a reference to a movie. Anyways, you know one of those japanese superstitions? The one with the sneezing?" he asked.

"Yes. If you sneeze once, you're being praised by someone. If you sneeze twice, the opposite is true. Three times and someone loves you, and four times, you have a cold. ….But you only sneeze once, so that means somebody is praising you. Why would you think it's suspicious?"

"I still can't shake off this feeling, that something is _bound_ to happen here. My gut is telling me that something big is heading towards us. Just my intuitions though, no need to worry."

"As your manager, I have to worry! Whatever your intuition is, it is probably right…. Lord Bael-sama could be desperate, and probably begun his search for me, since… you know…." Ravel said, slightly blushing and fidgeting her fingers while looking shyly towards Issei.

"Whatever it is… I don't have the strength to fight. I need rest and nutrients—"

"You could have just stayed in the hospital, baka! Is Irina that important to you?"

"Yes." Issei immediately answered with one hundred percent certainty, making Ravel's heart ache with jealousy. Although they had made a lot of progress, she still was behind for the affections of her loved one. Her eyes twinkled of determination, and she made a new resolve.

"...I see. Then I'll just have to work even harder, and break through the ranks." she whispered to herself.

"Huh?"

"N-Nothing! Anyways, by now they must've watched the news! They probably getting ready to go to Serafall Memorial Hospital."

"Who?"

"Everyone. Asia-sama, Xeonvia-sama, Irina-sama, Gasper-sama, Rossweisse-sama, Akeno-sama, and the House Cat."

"Oi, you two still bickering amongst each other?" he asked, switching the topic of the conversation.

"I-It can't be helped! She still keeps on calling me 'Hetare Yakitori-hime'! That Nekomata, always getting on my nerves!" Ravel complained in a trembling tone, as veins appears on her forehead, and she started to emit a creepy aura. Her rolled-hair is starting to tweak, and she balled up her fist, then violently shook it. Issei watched silently as Ravel expressed her complaint, baffled on how cute and hilarious she was. Then, there was a sparked within him; a realization occurred to him as he watched Ravel.

He finally then began to laugh uproariously, startling Ravel. She was completely dumbfounded and didn't know what to say in reaction to his laughter. Despite putting Ravel into mass confusion, Issei continue to laugh, and like a young child, he laughed innocently.

"Hahahaha…. Man, you really cracked me up, Ravel! Ufufufu, you guys…." as Issei regained his breath and let out a few more giggles, he wiped off some of the tears that were dropping from his eyes.

" _...When was the last time I laughed like this?_ " he thought sadly, as he looked towards Ravel, who was still confused, but still couldn't help herself but smile brightly. It was her first time witnessing something as beautiful; watching her loved one laugh without a care, it was very heartwarming.

"You guys…. You guys never changed, huh? Making me feel guilty… When I returned back to earth from the [Forgotten Valley], I was expecting for the world to move on, and I was expecting you guys to have new lives. But, it seems that I was the only one who changed. I...I wonder, if they'll accept me for what I am now. I feel...out of place." Issei spoke in a depressing tone, switching the atmosphere from warm and fuzzy, to cold and brutal. Ravel's eyes widen in shock to what he said, then she hugged him to comfort him.

"It's okay, you're still Issei-sama. That's what matters the most." Ravel hypocritically said, cooing into his ear softly and caressing his brown, maple hair.

"I am not sure if they will accept me. I have changed a lot, you know? Your tantrum earlier really discouraged me; if you put up a fierce front like that, I can't imagine how Koneko, Asia, Xenovia, Irina, Akeno and Rossweisse... you know that it has been a whole year since I saw them." he mumbled.

"Why would you lose confidence now, Issei-sama? If you were able to confront me and change my opinion, then it should be easy for you to do the same toward them. They… we love you more than anything, we won't toss you aside."

"No… but Rias did, not that it mattered."

"Rias-neesama was under pressure by the Underworld Government…, it was against her will."

"That's why I said 'not that it mattered'. If Rias wants too, I can save her from that political marriage, but we won't have a romantic relationship like last time. I don't hold a grudge against her, and I would still like to be good friends with her, but…" he expressed his honest opinion about Rias, and Ravel smiled sadly.

"You really did change a lot, Issei-sama. But, I think your change isn't that bad at all. You seemed more perspective, collective and really mature. ...Did you lose your fetish of woman's breasts?"

"No, not at all actually. As a matter of fact, my sexual desire has never reached this high before… Its really hard containing it, you know? Just imagine being stuck in a valley of mountains for an entire year, without no female interaction, and constantly training till your bones are broken or having to faint because of blood lost… I am _really_ patient, and I am going to continue to be patient until—" Issei stopped himself from revealing more than he was already saying. Ravel's face was beet red, and she fidget even more, swaying her arms from side to side.

"...You have a tenancy of changing topics." Issei pouted.

"H-Hey why don't we go to the gymnasium now! I, I held you up for a long time, didn't I?

* * *

Part 3

He was handsome middle-aged man with black hair and violet eyes, but unlike his son, Sairaorg Bael, his body was not too muscular, but he wasn't boney either. His entire outfit was black, and his clothes consisted of dark red belts and motifs, and he also had a cape. It was almost as if he was cosplaying Creuserey Asmodeus (A/N: There's no official description of Lord Bael, so I just went with my gut, and did whatever). Besides him, were two High Class Devils that seemed to be his advisors. They approach the carriage where Rias and Riser were in, and smiled confidently as he noticed that only four lowly Mid-Class Devils were guarding them, whereas he had 20 Mid-Class and 2 High-Class at his direct command.

"Greetings, my darling niece. You seem to be in shock about something?" his voice was rough, but also loud and clear enough for Riser and Rias. He asked her the question to simply mock her, to reinforce the idea that Issei was not going to forgive her. Still, knowing that Issei was at the hospital (A/N: Jokes on her.), she contained those negative feelings and continued to keep a collective mind.

"Lord Riser, how was your trip?" Lord Bael asked. Riser scuffled, knowing that the inevitable discussion was going to come, soon or later.

"Let's skip the chit chat, Bael. We are not your allies, so make this conversation quick." Riser spat, losing his patience already. He felt as if he was cornered by two rooks and a queen, and he did not like the feeling of being trapped. Lord Bael simply nodded, ignoring Riser's tone, and brung up the conversation at hand.

"Your sister, Lady Ravel, is to marry my son Magdaran." Lord Bael bluntly stated.

"Ho? So when it comes to political power, you suddenly give a shit about your son? It seems that your jealousy and hypocrisy is your best traits, Milord." Riser mocked, attempting to humiliate Lord Bael. But it only made him realize another way he could gain more.

"You are right, how could forget about that excuse of a son? I'll just marry Lady Ravel myself; if our offspring has both the power of the legendary Phoenix and the Power of Destruction, then it'll be the birth of a new Super Devil!"

"You fucking piece of shit! Don't you have any humanity?! It seems that the only thing that spews out of your ass, is politics!" Riser yelled aggressively

"For a Pure Blood Devil to mention humanity… it makes me laugh." still not phased by Riser anger, Lord Bael continue to smile.

"My dear niece, what is your opinion on this?" Lord Bael turned towards Rias, who was still quiet. Lord Bael smirked as he noticed tear lines across her face, and reddened eyes.

"Have you heard the news? It seems that pitiful excuse of man has returned… even if he had the [Boosted Gear], his powers must've been declining a lot. So much for the strongest youth of the Underworld."

"This hypocrite…. where were _you_ when Issei was sacrificing his life to save everyone?"

"Lord Riser, I am getting bored of your treasonous talks and attitude. So, let me cut through the chase, as the human cliché goes. Since Lady and Lord Phenex seemed to be too busy, and your older brothers have another important things to do, you are the next person to have this negotiation. Here is the offer: If you bring Ravel here at this instant and you give support to the House of Bael, then Ravel will marry Magdaran. If you continue to resist, then I will take matters into my own hands. How does that—" as Lord Bael was about to finish speaking, a sound of brattling and revving up was heard from a distance.

DRILL! DRRRRRRRRRILL!

Then, two shadowy figures came from the sky towards Lord Bael at high velocity. Lord Bael lucky had fast reflexes, so he put up a strengthen magic circle to shield himself from the chainsaws.

"Oh, so the cavalry has arrived?" Lord Bael smirked at the futile attacks that Lle and Nel made. Still, the twins faces smiled innocently and confidently.

"Above~" they spoke in union and with a cutesy tone. Lord Bael instinctively looked up and saw Akeno and Yubelluna, already prepared their spells and aimed directly at him. At the last second, Lle and Nel immediately retreated from Lord Bael, giving the all clear signal to Akeno and Yubelluna to fire off their attacks.

"Take this!" Yubelluna shouted with anger towards Lord Bael. Fire and lightning came towards him at a fast pace, but again, it was futile, for two of his advisors were prepared with magic circles to block off the explosion.

BANG!

The ground shook and trembled, as smoke arises from where Lord Bael and his two High Class advisors were. Akeno and Yubelluna retreated back to ground where Rias and Riser were.

[Riser Phenex's peerage has assembled!]

[Rias Phenex's peerage has assembled!]

"My, my… it seems we might have a little civil war here…"

-Line Break-

"Eh? W-Where is everyone?" Ravel was puzzled to find the gymnasium empty, and the plasma television left on. Based on her assumptions, it seemed that everyone had to leave because of a emergency. Issei soldmey looked at the television, which continued to give the news report about him.

" _Am I really that famous?"_ he asked himself with a tiresome tone.

 **[You're acting as if defeating Trihexa wasn't a achievement.]** Ddraig stated.

" _You know it wasn't really me who defeated Trihexa, right?"_

 **[Well, in my book, you did. Having to sacrifice your body like that…]**

" _Let's leave that argument for a later time. Ddraig, don't you find this a bit odd? For them to suddenly leave like this… I think my intuition was right, something is definitely going on."_

 **[...Maybe they were excited to see you again? The television channel was set to the news station.]**

" _Yeah, but what about Riser's peerage? I don't think they were that excited to meet me. So…"_ Issei narrowed his eyes towards Ravel, who was still trying to figure out what happened.

"Ravel-chan, you think something drastic happened for them to leave so abruptly?" he asked.

"...Well, they could have went to visit you."

"That's what Ddraig said, and I dismissed it. Ravel, I think something is happening, and my gut is telling that it is not good. It could be because of..."

"...Because of me?" Ravel whispered discouragingly, causing her to look worried. Issei comfort her by patting her head gently and rubbing her blonde hair, causing the cute phoenix to purr softly.

"Underworld Politics has nothing to do with us. Come on Ravel, let's find them." Issei declared.

"How are we going to do that? They could be anywhere…"

"Simple. Just watch." Issei brightly smiled at her, feeling really confident about himself, and wanting to show off to her a bit.

 **[Boost!]** Issei summoned the [Boosted Gear] for the first time ever since last year. For a split second, the feelings of nostalgia came over him, as he felt the gauntlet fit into his right hand perfectly. The power rushed through his veins like cocaine, and he felt, literally unstoppable.

 **[Oi, what you're planning to do, Ise?]** Ddraig asked, not understanding how the [Boosted Gear] would help him find his friends. Issei smiled happily as he was excited to test out his powers.

"Watch. I didn't just train like a maniac for the past year; I was actually perfecting my usage of the [Boosted Gear]. Even though you were sealed up for a year, I never actually lost the connection between you and me."

 **[That doesn't make any sense— Actually, never mind. Whatever Akatosh did to me, I am not trying to argue with a Dragon God that defiles logic. But… it seems to be working, so I can't really complain. Go, shoot.]**

"Alright! Let's power up!" Issei yelled impatiently, being over excited to test out a new ability.

 **[Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! (30x)]**

 **[Semi-Perfect Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]** the announcer roared in fury, as green aura accumulated in both of his arms. Then, a second gauntlet appeared in his left arm, totalling four green jewels. When Issei powered up, his 12 orange dragon wings unfurled in overwhelming glory. Ravel was stun at the sight of Issei, and her heart pounded tremendously.

" _H-He looks so cool!"_ she thought, blushing so much that her face almost turned red. But, it wasn't as red as his [Amulet of Kings], the red diamond necklace that Akatosh gaved him on his departure. When Issei finished powering up, his four green jewels and the amulet glowed their respective colors. Issei's eyes glowed orange once again, he smirked very confidently.

 **[Oi! Is this you prized technique?! Why won't you go full power?!]**

"You want me to faint from exhaustion? You know I am lacking nutrients and calories, and I need proper rest, so using only a fraction of [Balance Breaker] is sufficient enough to find everyone and solve the problem. Besides…"

 **[Dividing Wyvern Fairy!]**

 **[Multiplying Wyvern Fairy!]**

"I don't need full power to unleash these little guys." he said, as the green jewels popped out of the granules and formed red and white wyverns, each with their respective abilities. In Ravel's perspective, Issei was swarming with little wyverns; she became idolized by the view of Issei unique power and ability. Then…

 **[Transfer!]** Issei released some extra aura towards a random red wyvern. Ddraig felt something with an extreme force, pulling his conscious towards the red wyvern Issei selected.

 **[Oi… I'm— I'm flying. I'm fucking flying. I can see you, Ravel, and the other wyverns. Issei, what the—]**

"I just transfer your conscious into one of these little guys. Pretty cool trick, huh?"

 **[P-Pretty cool trick… This transcends the [Sacred Gear System]! You… what did Akatosh do…?]**

"I don't know, but it isn't affecting the system at all. So don't question it."

 **[...I can breathe… I can feel…. I can stretch... I-Is this permanent?!]**

"No, there's a time limit, especially in the condition I am at. So be a dear, and go find the others, ne~" Issei said in cutesy tone, trying to mock Ddraig. The Red Dragon Emperor however, was feeling emotional and ignored Issei's mocking. Using the red wyvern that Issei helped Ddraig possessed, the Red Dragon immediately flew toward the roof, breaking it and making multiple holes. The other wyverns, viewing Ddraig as the leader, followed him, making more holes.

 **[I'M FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!]** Ddraig yelled with all his might, and with the other wyverns, they set out to their tasks.

"...I am not paying for the damage." Issei spewed out, embarrassed by Ddraig's childish behavior. Ravel was speechless by the turn of events that was displayed in front of her. When she thought that she had enough surprises for the day, Issei immediately pulled something out of his ass to surprise her once again. When she came over her surprise, she realized that Issei and Ddraig mention what seems to be someone's name.

"... I-Issei-sama, who is this Akatosh person? He seems really important to you and Ddraig." Ravel asked.

"That will be one of the topics I will discuss during the conference in a few days."

-Line Break-

Ddraig, and the group of wyverns under his command explored the Underworld through flight. As The Red Dragon Emperor enjoyed being… alive, he noticed some energy signals in the eastern part of the Phenex territory. The energy signals were huge, which indicated that there was some type of conflict over that area.

 **[That place seems to be the most interesting.]** Ddraig said to himself as he flew towards that direction.

-Line Break-

"...Is this treason I am seeing? I thought you two disciplined your severents, but they have the same venom that Lord Gremory has. Could this be a coup d'etat?" Lord Bael angrily glared at Riser and Rias peerages, releasing his Power of Destruction at his right hand.

"It is you who committed treason against the people of the Underworld! First, the [King Piece] scheme that went on for multiple years, then obtaining influences outside of the Underworld to your own benefit!" Riser stated, once again pinpointing Lord Bael's hypocrisy.

"I AM THE GREAT KING OF THE UNDERWORLD! MY WORDS, DECISIONS, AND MY DESIRES ARE LAW!" Lord Bael yelled with hatred towards Riser.

As the two sides continue to argue, one of the Mid-Class soldiers that was on the lookout saw multiple objects that were flying towards their directions. He used magic to increase his vision, and what he saw astonished him.

"Milord! T-There seems to be white and red wyverns flying towards our location!" the lookout yelled, bring everyone's attention towards him.

"What? Red and white wyverns? Check your eyesight, might be just be your imagination." Lord Bael said unconcernedly.

"Check for yourself then, Milord."

"For the love of— fine. Not that it won't change the situation."

-Line Break-

"Ddraig sended the location… ready to crash the party, Ravel?" Issei held out his hand towards her. At first, she hesitated, not because she was afraid, but because Issei was actually asking her to hold his hand (although he didn't directly said it).

"...I'm ready." she finally said, grasping onto his gauntlet.

Issei summoned [Dawnbreaker], and equipped it.

Ravel knew Issei had some knowledge on swordsmanship, but usually he doesn't use swords. Based on her observations, the sword he was wielding is not [Ascalon]. The energy oozing out of its hilt was far too strong, and the design of the sword seemed far to sinister for it to be a [Holy Sword]. Yet, the holy energy oozing out of it was present, and she can tell because she is a Devil. Ravel came up with a hypophysis about Issei's mysterious sword: just like Kiba's irregular Balance Breaker, [Sword of Betrayer], his sword must be mixture of two attributes that was thought to be impossible to coexist. Holy was obviously one of the two attributes, but the other was indescribable.

"Issei-sama, what happened to [Ascalon]?"

"I upgraded it using my power." he lied. He used Akatosh's power to upgrade it during his fight with Apophis.

"So that sword that you were just wielding, was actually [Ascalon]?"

"Yeah, but I no longer call it that. It goes by a new name, [Dawnbreaker]."

"[Dawnbreaker]..." she repeated him, intrigued by the name.

"[Dawnbreaker] is extremely dangerous; it's power surpasses [Caliburn] and [Gram]." he stated, but Ravel could not tell if he was bluffing or not.

"Really?" she doubted his claim. Although the sword seem quite powerful, there was no way [Dawnbreaker] can surpass the strongest [Holy Sword] and [Demonic Sword]. In a sense, Issei was bluffing; [Dawnbreaker] was just a regular sword at that moment, and needed to be recharge. But even without it enchantment, the sword is made out of ebony and dragonbone, so it's durability was unmatched. Ravel had no idea about the capabilities of [Dawnbreaker], so she cannot judge much until she sees it in action.

"You'll see." Issei smiled one last time before he averted his gaze, and change his facial expression completely. The look in his eyes was murderous, and if any person comes across his menacing gaze, they will feel the overwhelming amount of pressure. Ravel's eyes came across his multiple times, and she thought that something _processed_ him.

"I-Issei-sama?"

"It'll be over soon. Ddraig, i'm going to set an entrance, via through magic circle. Get all wyverns into place."

* * *

Part 4

(A/N: Flashback)

" _ **Stand up, Issei. One more time."**_ the stren voice commanded him to stand and fight again. Issei, with open wounds and blood oozing out of it, summoned what little strength he had, and assumed his fighting stance.

His fighting stance was sloppy, and filled with openings; it was expected, of course. There was no way he can get into a defensive position with his injuries. Still, Issei tried his absolute best—

But limits are limits.

Ragged breaths, hazy eyes, and wounds all over… he was in no condition to fight!

"...F-Fuck—" he cursed with longing hatred at himself for being weak, as the urge to vomit rose drastically. A few seconds of gagging and coughing, the vomit of blood finally found its way out. Due to the immense pain, Issei was forced to take a knee, but he refused to bow his head down. He looked into his master's face, and found that Akatosh was grinning from satisfaction; Akatosh absolutely did not took any pleasure in harming his pupil, but he was more than satisfied with Issei's results and resolve.

" _ **The loss of blood is only a mere challenge that you must overcome right now."**_ Akatosh stated. Issei did not retaliate, instead he tried to get on his feet again.

He stumbled a couple of times, and it was expected; the lost of blood and numbness of his feet almost made him impossible to stand, but through sheer willpower and determination, he stood.

" _ **Strength come with great responsibility… but also sacrifices and consequences. ...But you must get stronger, to protect everything that calls out for peace."**_ Akatosh said in a fierce, confident voice.

"...I-I...will not give...up…!" Issei's consciousnesses barely hang on, as he dragged his tartterned legs over to his master. Akatosh stretches his arms apart as he spoke with the same stern voice:

" _ **Struggle...struggle, and struggle some more. That is how you become strong! You are living proof of that— You were once considered the weakest Red Dragon Emperor… now look at you, a force to be wreckin with! You have been through many life and death situations, and most importantly you have experienced death three times… you have what it takes to become—"**_

Issei reached Akatosh, but his limit had taken over. He fell unconscious, and his legs lost all support, causing him to fall. Whether or not Issei heard him, Akatosh smiled as he grab the teen's body and pulled it towards his embrace. (A/N: Fatherly love.) Then he proceeded to whisper the remaining, and most important part of his small lecture to him.

" _ **You have what it takes to become the Dominant Species."**_

-Line Break-

(Bruce Faulconer— SSJ Transformation Soundtrack)

(A/N: Prepare your anus, shit is about to get real)

"What the hell are these wyverns doing? You guys, shoot them down!" Lord Bael commanded with anxiety; he knew something was definitely wrong here. These wyverns look similar to one's Issei used in his [CxC] form when he had [Evil Pieces] (little does he know, they were the exact ones).

When one of his men followed his orders, he used his demonic powers to attempt to shot one of them down, but the soldier was met with utter demise; the wyvern dodged the attack, and counter attacked by firing a red beam out of its mouth, vaporizing the Mid-Class Devil instantaneously (the attack is similar to Dragon Shot).

Riser and Rias's peerages watch marvelously as the events unfolded. Nobody knew what were wyverns doing, or their purpose. By they noticed a few things: the wyverns were circling an area in a formation, and one of them had green eyes.

Then a magic circle appeared among the swarm of wyverns; its design was inspired by the culture of the Devils, but the symbol was irregular. Nobody, even Lord Bael, recognized it. The magic circle was orange, and the symbol in the middle was a hour glass, representing time or finitely.

 **[The one who calls himself The Great King Bael. Prepared yourself.]**

Ddraig's voice echoed through the landscape, sending chills down everyone's back.

Then two beings appeared from the circle.

"Ravel!" Riser immediately recognized his little sister, and was about to run towards her in relief. But, all of the sudden, the ground shook violently, and the being in front of Ravel starts to emit a mixture of red and orange aura! That aura starts to rise, and it gets bigger. It started to dye the person himself, and the wyvern that spoke like Ddraig landed on his shoulder.

 **[Boost!]**

The person had twelve orange dragon wings on his back, and two red gauntlets. The wyverns then flew towards the holes inside of his gauntlets, forming green jewels. But one red wyvern remained at his shoulder.

He gripped his sword and walked forward towards Bael slowly.

"Nice to meet your acquaintance. My name's Hyoudou Issei, and I won't allow you to lay a hand on Ravel or anyone here. If you do, I'll send you to oblivion."

(End of Soundtrack)

 _To be continued…._

* * *

 _ **A/N: Oh my god, that took longer than expected. This isn't the longest chapter I've ever written, but god damn it is satisfying to write more than 10,000 words! It's like writing double chapters!**_

 _ **Like I said in the Author's Note above, the next chapter is the start of a new phase of Arc II. I don't know when It will be released, since I'm busy with school work.**_

 _ **Next chapter is going to have full reactions to Issei's return. I promise.**_

 _ **Until next time~!**_

 _ **P.S- I'm mad as hell that they canceled the new episode of DB Super.**_


	21. Disatrous Reunion (III), Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Telepathy

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

"... _ **Rot**_ …"- Words in Dovahzul

 _ **A/N: Huh?! A chapter?!**_

 _ **Yessir! I am back, after five months of silence! If you thought that I have abandoned this story… think again!**_

 _ **So, let's catch up on a few things, ne~?**_

 _ **Why did it take me this fucking long to write a single chapter? When was the last time I posted a new chapter— February?! By lord almighty…**_

 _ **Look, I have a life as well. Been through a lot of state testing, and finals… just a lot of horseshit. Throughout that time, I've been trying to progress the fanfiction… but I just lost my touch, if I ever had one to begin with. Had lots of difficulty trying to write this chapter… But I made a breakthrough!**_

 _ **Okay, so here's some changes and updates:**_

 _ **I decided to experiment with the dialogue, in able to make conversations more flexible and with more flow. I know it gets tiresome to read 'he said' or 'she asked' sometimes, so I decided to use the parentheses with the character's name on it to keep the dialogue going, but also keep in track of who's talking. I am not getting rid of narratives, for they're a great way to describe the environment and emotions of the characters.**_

 _ **I decided to make a (not so very) tactical move on Project SLASHDRAGØN. It will be on hiatus for now. After completing Arc II, it will continue.**_

 _ **When there's an update for the fanfiction, it doesn't necessarily mean there's a new chapter; it could also be a variety of things: for example, it could be an update note, or chapter replacement, or reupload.**_

 _ **WE HAVE REACHED 300 FOLLOWERS! Thank you! We also reached 100,000 words!**_

 _ **If you guys want to hang out with renowned DxD fanfiction authors, join our Discord: /xEApPAS.**_

 _ **I would like to give a personal shout-out to Houvdon for helping me with this chapter. Such a nice guy!**_

 _ **Chapter 22 is already WIP at the time of writing this Author's Note. Hopefully I can get it out before school starts XD. Also, be grateful, cuz next chapter is gonna have tons of FANSERVICE~~~~**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

" _I ain't no Devil, nor a servant of Rias Phenex." — Hyoudou Issei_

* * *

Disastrous Reunion (III), Arc II

" _I thought you were wiser than that by now. You know that the realities of the world will crush them… the Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils have forsaken them... Once, they were enemies, but the Dragon Cult has transformed them into slaves, into comrades…" (?)_

" _I will destroy the Dragon Cult and everything that it represents. If persuasion doesn't work, they I'll distribute mercy by killing them and sparing them a life of misery." (Issei)_

" _Ah, yet you say you're not a monster. Such hypocrisy. And you're going to destroy the very same religion that you're master, Akatosh, has created? The very same religion that has taught you the ancient magics of dragons?" (?)_

" _What I do with my power is my concern, and none of your business." (Issei)_

" _Oh, but you see… it is my business. I want to revive the Dragon Cult, and I would rather much prefer less opposition. Now that you have decided to go against it, it seem that I might have found a troublesome enemy. Why won't you join me, Issei? Although you are the Dragon Demigod of Time, and I am the Dragon Demigod of Fate, we both share the same responsibilities—" (?)_

" _No, because unlike you, I am no tyrant. Fuck you." (Issei)_

" _It is a shame… but looks like I have to go against you. No matter… I already started to plant my seeds all over your puny world—" (?)_

" _If you come to the [DxD] world, I'll eat your soul! YOU HEAR ME?! I'LL FUCKING EDRICATE EVERYTHING THAT THE DRAGON CULT STOOD FOR! HI BANAAK, HI VEISTUL LIR!" (Issei)_

….

Lord Bael could only smirk, as he was unimpressed by the sudden appearance of a person who he gladly did not want to see, ever in his life. Despite the amount of pressure Issei's aura had, as the Clan Head for the House of Bael, that was only a trivial matter.

Lord Bael had always despised Hyoudou Issei. Ever since Sirzechs, Serafall, and Azazel started to promote Issei's cult of personality, his popularity spiked among the children of the Underworld. The moment when Issei defeated Sairaorg, Lord Bael's son and the next Clan Head of Bael, his popularity even rose to new heights. Although Lord Bael himself completely despise Sairaorg for not inheriting the [Power of Destruction] and labeled him as a defect, Lord Bael hated Issei even more because he was only a mere _Reincarnated Devil_. For an _Reincarnated Devil_ to beat his son, became the Underworld's Strongest Youth, and top of that, earn fame and climb the heights of the almost impossible hierarchy system of the current Devil Society was… a direct insult to Lord Bale's power, ego, and influence.

Issei set an outstanding example to the other Reincarnated Devils, that they too can become part the society and strive for better, instead of only serving their High-Class masters. His example had also motivated the completion of the School that Sona had dreamed of…

Reincarnated Devils started to demand rights as citizens of the Underworld. Just because the rank of an individual is Low-Class, does not mean they are equally important. With Issei's sacrifice, it ignited the House of Gremory's political campaign to change some of the conservative laws of the Underworld. Lord Bael, viewing that as a threat to his power and status, as well as protecting the interests of his wealthy friends, decided to go against the political campaign. Lord Gremory knew that Lord Bael won't silently go away, and needed allies…

That's when the marriage proposal came around. Rias married Riser to gain the House of Phenex's support, and Lord Bael tried to get Ravel to balance things out.

In the end of the day… it was a shameless fight between one side that was Liberal, and the other that was Conservative.

That is one of the reasons why Issei decided to join in on the feud. People like Lord Bael gained everything from their corrupt laws, meanwhile everyone else had to follow it and suffer. But that alone isn't the only reason; Issei had always wanted to stay out of politics… but…

There is more hidden in the shadows than what is on the surface.

"You came at the wrong time, Lady Ravel. Why are you sticking close to that wretched Reincarnated Devil?" Lord Bael mocked Issei, as he walked forward towards Ravel, ignoring the fact that the Dragon Demigod was standing next to her. It seemed that Issei's introduction had not phazed him at all.

"Once you and my worthless son are wed… maybe your offspring will inherit both the powers of the Phenex and Bael… of course, if my son is not to your liking, then I shall have the honor to be your spouse." (Lord Bael)

He was only a few inches away from her. He extended his hand, and tried to reach out to hold her check. Disgusted and afraid, Ravel immediately took a few steps back.

Unfortunately for Lord Bael however, Issei grabbed his hand before making contact.

"...Let go, you filthy—" insults spewed out of his mouth, only to have been interrupted by the sounds of his bone cracking.

Crack!

Pain circulated through his veins, and Lord Bael began to scream tremendously. Issei held on to his wrist, putting in more force, more power, more of everything onto the Great King's wrist…

 **[Boost!]**

"Let go!" (Lord Bael)

"...You didn't say please." (Issei)

"—! What—!" (Lord Bael)

Crack!

Another holler was heard. The pain was excruciating. No matter how much Lord Bael struggle, Issei only put more pressure.

"Let go you bastard!" the guards that were with Lord Bael began their assault to protect their lord. They surrounded Issei and Ravel at frightening pace, and made a fighting formation. A High-Class Devil managed to break hold of Issei's grip on Bael's wrist, and retreated to where he's safe.

Issei was about to take on these guards head on; he had the ability and power to do so.

But a problem emerged. His stamina is dangerously low, and his scars and injuries prohibit him to move at godspeed. If he moves too much and too frantically, they can reopen again and cause major blood loss. The training he had at the [Forgotten Valley] had put a immense stain on his body… Issei needed proper rest and nutrition.

When the guards came and surrounded him, he was out-maneuvered, and irritation was showing on his face.

"...Shit. Even with [Semi-Perfect Balance Breaker], my stamina is literally almost gone." (Issei)

 **[Partner, I can help you out!]** (Ddraig)

"Would appreciate it if you did… think you take on these small fries?" (Issei)

 **[Of course. Don't even put me in the same league as them.]** (Ddraig)

"Alright… ne, Ravel? Can you tell Rias and the others to come and help me? I can't use too much power, not at this state I am… Asia can heal me, and a [Phoenix Tear] would put me back into good shape." (Issei)

"We should have just stayed at the hospital! F-Fine… " (Ravel)

"Thank you." (Issei)

With everyone been given a role, Issei dropped to one knee in pure exhaustion.

 **[Malfunction]**

The [Boosted Gear] broke into many scattered pieces as the announcer's voice became distorted. Soon after, the broken pieces disappeared, and Issei's power became almost nonexistent.

 **[Reset]**

" _Damn, I can't use any of my powers at this terrible state… and there's no reason to use [Dragonbreak]."_ (Issei)

Issei lost what little stamina he had because of his hasty actions to try out the [Dividing Wyvern Fairy] and [Multiplying Wyvern Fairy], on top of transferring Ddraig's consciousness into one of the wyverns; being able to transfer a Heavenly Dragon's consciousness out of the [Sacred Gear] was mind blowing, but it comes with a terrible strain on his body, which was already fragile. Fortunately, Ddraig can still operate under Issei circumstances, so he maintained the wyvern form.

" _Should have just made Ddraig bigger… ah well."_ (Issei)

-Line Break-

(A/N: Let's backtrack a bit, shall we?)

Her eyes fixated on the individual who had made such a daring entrance. He appeared through a magic teleportation circle, alongside with Ravel, after Ddraig announced his presence by projecting his voice, followed by a series of attacks by the mysterious robotic red and white wyverns.

"Is that— Ravel?!" Riser couldn't withheld his confusion as to why Ravel was here, out of all places. Was she going to accept the marriage proposal?

"Riser-sama, Ravel did not come alone… there is a man alongside her." Yubelluna pointed to help Riser spot the man who had a tattered jacket on. Both the Phenex Peerage and the Gremory Peerage had their attention on the Dragon Demigod.

"Is that the [Boosted Gear]?" (Xuelan)

"No way! He has it on both of his arms! Isn't that weird?" (Mira)

"Is that the new Sekiryuutei? …No, wait… now that I have gotten a better look on him… he closely resembles—" (Yubelluna)

The ground shook violently, and the being alongside of Ravel starts to emit a mixture of red and orange aura! That aura starts to rise, and it gets bigger. It started to dye the person himself, and the wyvern that spoke like Ddraig landed on his shoulder.

 **[Boost!]**

The wyverns that were circling around the teleportation circle then flew towards the holes inside of his gauntlets, forming green jewels. But one red wyvern remained at his shoulder, which obviously Ddraig.

 **[Dawnbreaker!]**

He gripped his signature sword, and walked forward towards Bael slowly.

"Nice to meet your acquaintance. My name's Hyoudou Issei, and I won't allow you to lay a hand on Ravel or anyone here. If you do, I'll send you to oblivion." (Issei)

At that moment, the pieces were coming together.

The rumors…. the news, the media… and now, they have heard it with their own ears, and seen it with their own eyes.

His hair was longer than before, and his facial complexion had some scars here and there…

But that man is definitely—

"Hyoudou Issei." Riser finished Yubelluna's sentence.

Chills ran all over their backs.

But Irina always knew… droplets of tears came out of her eyelashes as her smile became wider and wider. Shining with absolute loving grace, the happiness that dwell in her heart burst into many explosions!

"You're finally back… Issei-kun." (Irina)

Her happiness started to affect the others as well.

"Ne, Irina! Tell me… is that truly Ise?! H-Hurry up and tell me! I can reach out to him, and then hug him, right?! I can kiss him and never ever let go of him, right?! Tell me… I might collapse in various senses if you don't answer me!" (Xenovia)

(A/N: Didn't Xenovia said this last time?)

"Yes… it's Ise-kun." (Irina)

"I-I-Ise~!" (Xenovia)

"...Ise-kun… you were alive all this time…!" (Akeno)

"A miracle after another… it just never ends. Seriously, I need to stop acting surprised

whenever it's about him, but I just simply can't." (Kiba)

"...Senpai… I'll make sure you take responsibility. You promised to make me your bride…" (Koneko)

"Ise-saaaaaaaaaaaan!" (Asia)

"Ise-senpai! Wah!" (Gasper)

"My goodness, he just never fades away… I'll make sure to give him a good lecture!" (Rossweisse)

Celebration ran rampant among mostly of everyone in the Gremory Peerage. The biggest foundation of their team, their old comrade had returned.

However, the Phenex Peerage could only interest themselves in what was about to transpired between Ravel and Lord Bael. Sure, Issei revealing himself was an humongous shock to them, but the major problem still laid ahead. And now it was confirmed that the wyverns killed some of the guards that were protecting Lord Bael… and they came from Issei.

Riser smelled trouble brewing.

"Yubelluna. Contact Lucifer-sama immediately. As well as Lord Gremory." (Riser)

"Yes, Riser-sama. (Yubelluna)

The Bomb Queen disappeared through a teleportation circle.

"Rias, we need to get Ravel to safety." (Riser)

"...W-What about Ise?" (Rias)

"Hyoudou has already shed blood. This will only be resolved through the efforts of the Maous. We can't do anything." (Riser)

"Still— I…" (Rias)

Riser smiled wryly as he watch the amount of happiness in her eyes, which were on the verge of releasing waterfalls.

"That man is sure is something… he died three times, and yet always comes back. That's an achievement that even the Son of God couldn't reach." (Riser)

-Line Break-

Serafall, Sirzechs, Ajuka, Grayfia and Azazel decided to abruptly leave the emergency meeting regarding the marriage proposals, and ended up having their own discussions about their next plan, despite the warnings from the council.

Lord Gremory insisted that they come over to the Gremory Household, and invited them as special guest.

Falbium and Bariquel returned to their post after the meeting, for they had other duties that must be fulfilled.

….

(A/N: I hope you guys don't mind too much dialogue)

"What do we do now, Sirzechs-kun?" (Serafall)

"Can't we just get rid of Lord Bael and replace him with somebody else?" (Azazel)

"It is more complicated than what you think, Governor-sama. Not only does Lord Bael have financial and political backing from various clans, but also from other mythologies." (Grayfia)

"Yes… I read through some documents the other day, and found out that Lord Bael has been exchanging information with Hades." (Sirzechs)

"H-Hades?! Mou~! He's crazy!" (Serafall)

"It is better to deal with this accordingly and without any necessary violence. Besides, my biggest concern is Ise." (Ajuka)

"Ajuka… What is it that you want with Ise-kun?" (Sirzechs)

"He told me that he is a Dragon Demigod… I wonder if he can fulfill my request." (Ajuka)

"Ajuka-kun~! Don't be so hasteful! He just came back from— wherever the hell he came from! Burdening him with her is—" (Serafall)

"He's the only one who can protect her. Even I cannot do it with my powers…" (Ajuka)

"Yes, even I want him to protect this girl too. She's is one of the most important foundations to the Underworld, alongside with Vali." (Sirzechs)

"Interesting. So you guys want Ise to take care of the processor of [Nereid Kyre], a High-Tier Longinus user, who is also a actual descendent of the Leviathan bloodline… It's interestingly funny… you guys keep dragging Issei into these political maneuvers, even though he is not a Devil anymore. Don't you think you guys are being too selfish?" (Azazel)

"Mou~ Don't bump me with them~! I completely disagree with these two! Ise-kun deserves to be left alone; he already killed and destroyed Trihexa! Isn't that more than enough? If he doesn't want to help on his own accord, then we should just leave him be!" (Serafall)

"That is precisely why we need him; with his power and influence, he can keep her from harm, and show her the things she never got to experience— Despite those commas, she mentally 17 years old. In truth… Issei is all she's got." (Ajuka)

"In this upcoming meeting, we must take this chance. If Lord Bael— No, if the entire supernatural world would know of her existence— it will prove to be disastrous. But if Issei takes her in, then—" (Sirzechs)

"Then she will be shielded." (Azazel)

"Exactly." (Ajuka)

"...I still think it will be better to leave him alone for awhile. Have you guys thought about his mental health?" (Azazel)

"He seems mentally stable—" (Ajuka)

"Those questions you made up is straight up bullshit, Ajuka. Think about it— Issei's parents were brutally tortured and killed by Rizevim, his well earned High-Class promotion is completely crashed to the ground, his beloved girlfriend, Rias, married and possibly slept with Riser, his funds from the 'Oppai Dragon show' was plundered, and the list goes on. Let's just leave him be, and let him cope with his losses before you start dumping all this massive Devil Political shitstrom on him!" (Azazel)

"..." (Ajuka and Sirzechs)

"...I just feel bad for him. I— even I never realized the extent of his sacrifice… or maybe I did, but I just never gave it some thought, like now. Poor Ise, he doesn't deserve what he got…" (Serafall)

"I hope he can get some comfort from all this…" (Azazel)

"You're right. We were too hastefull; but still, I would like him to protect Igvild. After that, we'll leave him alone. I think… it's best if he just live his life peacefully for the time being. Igvild and Issei are similar to each other— maybe those two can find a revelation within themselves." (Sirzechs)

"I agree—" (Ajuka)

"Excuse me for this interruption! Lord Gremory summons all of you! It is an emergency!" (Gremory Guard)

…

"I have news from Riser-sama! We acquire your assistance in dealing with Lord Bael!" (Yubelluna)

"Lord Bael? So he's finally decided to move. Where is Ravel-sama?" (Lord Gremory)

"She's alongside with— Hyoudou Issei and Lord Bael are confronting each other. Issei had already killed a few guards using a technique that I am not familiar with; he used some sort wyverns—"

"Issei-kun is there?!" (Sirzechs)

"Things might get hairy from here..." (Azazel)

"Such a disastrous reunion…" (Ajuka)

"Should we interfere?" (Serafall)

"No, it's best that the Satans don't get themselves involved with this… however, Azazel-sama… please. I know this isn't your problem, but we need your help—" (Lord Gremory)

-Line Break-

Ravel flew with all her might towards the rendezvous point, where the Phenex Peerage and Gremory Peerage were at. When Issei appeared, it created a significant distraction for them to back away a bit to strategize their next plan, but it went into the garbage bin because of the shock Issei caused. Now that they were certain that the individual dealing with (more like stalling, to be honest) Lord Bael is Issei, their spirits had rallied up like never before (mainly the Gremory Peerage).

Once Ravel reached the location, Riser immediately head towards her direction!

"Ravel! Are you okay?! What's going on, why are you here?" as a caring older brother, Riser began asking questions regarding her presence.

"Onii-sama! Beelzebub-sama and the hospital staff had allow me to visit Ise-sama! After we talked a bit, we decided to go back home to find everyone, but you guys must have left by the time we arrived!" Ravel flat out lied. Both she and Issei would have met them if they decided to look for them straight away, instead of reconciling.

"Please! Ise-sama needs assistance! He's exhausted and can't fight!" (Ravel)

"R-Ravel… you know that Issei killed some of the guards, right? If we help him, then the law of the Underworld would hammer us down. It's best we stay neutral to this situation—" Riser tried to explain the situation, understanding that if he was to help Issei against Lord Bael, he will be in a tight spot; Issei already committed murder. At the same time however, Riser was being a hypocrite; his peerage members engaged Lord Bael's troops.

"I'm sorry Onii-sama, but Ise-sama is my benefactor; the reason why he's doing this, is to protect me from the hideous marriage proposal… regardless if he killed them, I will stay by his side!" headstrong and stubborn, Ravel held on to her faith in Issei.

"Please!" it was desperate cry from Ravel.

The cry awaken something within the Gremory Peerage, which had been sleeping for a long time. At last, after many months of searching and eventually giving up, they had found Issei.

Their hearts were burning with fury and exhilarating more power than ever before. Their legs demanded them to move forward, but their minds had them on a leash… until Ravel had set them free with her pleading.

Issei needed help.

Issei needed them.

They would smack themselves if they did not respond to their benefactor, their comrade, their love… (A/N: 'Their love' only applies to Akeno, Xenovia, Irina, Asia, Koneko, and Ravel. Y'all Yaoi bastards better keep away from Kiba and Gasper)

"Rias-neesama! Please forgive my selfishness, but… Ise-kun requires our strength. My best pal needs me, he needs us… I will accept any punishment, but please let us go to him!" (Kiba)

"Onee-sama! I want to go as well!" (Asia)

"Rias… that man is my everything… I want to help my future Husband!" (Akeno)

"Rias-neesama, Ise-senpai… although he's absolutely the worst… I want to help him!" (Koneko)

"Even if you say no, I will still go! So please forgive me if I do anything rash!" (Xenovia)

"I want to deal with Ise-senpai's share as well!" (Gasper)

"Ise-kun requires a lecture! A lecture on not leaving me behind!" (Rossweisse)

Hearing her servants true desires, the amount of tears in Rias's eyes have double the amount. Her heart was filled with many warm emotions… it was like the time before the [Evil Dragon Campaign]. Despite being married to Riser… she still yearned for Issei.

"Fufufu… What a coincidence. Looks like we all have the same intention." (Rias)

Once she said that, everyone's face became brighter and fill with smiles.

"Rias…" (Riser)

"I'm sorry Riser, but I cannot simply just wait around while he's need our help. Onii-sama would understand…" (Riser)

"...Even I can't bring that amount of happiness… Do as your will, Rias. If I were in your shoes, I'll probably do the same as well, to be honest—" (Riser)

Riser was immediately cut off by the sheer increase of Xenovia's aura!

"—! That self-proclaiming— she's gone ahead of us!" (Xenovia)

Thus with the return of Issei, the competition of Girls' Club of Hell was back on…

-Line Break-

 **[Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames!]**

Ddraig used his ultimate technique to block off the attackers from getting too close to Issei. Although it was his strongest attack, the effects of the flames were severely debuff because primarily Ddraig was in a form of a robotic wyvern; if Issei had the power to summon him, he could cause havoc without breaking a sweat. Of course, Issei had barely anything in him to do such a task, so the Red Dragon Emperor did not complain.

"Shit, don't touch the flames! It'll kill you dead!" (Guard)

 **[The flames are still useful, even if it's weaken— Oi, partner? What are you doing?]** (Ddraig)

"Meditating." (Issei)

 **[At a time like this?]** (Ddraig)

"It's the only thing I can do." (Issei)

 **[... I understand. Don't worry, I'll make sure they won't lift a single finger at you!]** Ddraig promised as kept on pressing his attacks. Feeling relieved, and having reinforcements coming very soon, Issei had nothing to worry about. Even in these type of situations, one must have a clear conscience and a relaxed mind to come up with the next plan of actions; it's one of the most valuable lessons Akatosh reinforced into him.

With the smell of fire going through his nostrils, Issei began meditating on the meaning of the principal of power. He recalled one of Akatosh's lectures while his mind goes deep into his consciousness:

" _ **Yol... In the human languages, the word simply means "fire." It is change given form, power at its most primal. That is the true meaning of Yol - power. You have it, as well as living things, especially dragons. But power is inert without action and choice. Think of this as the power builds in your soul, in your breath, in everything you do. What will you burn? What will you spare? Will you let the world push you, or you are going push it back harder? Think of power, and apply it effortlessly - imagine but a whisper pushing aside all in its path. Imagine—"**_

Issei felt something immensely soft on his back; it was the source of the interruption of his meditation. The arms were wrapped around his waist, and the softness continued to rub his back, giving him a somewhat uncomfortable sensation. His heart ached as he felt the person's heartbeat, and her breath tickling his neck.

He wouldn't dare open his eyes. But he can clearly hear her whimpers and her stuffed nose.

Next thing he knew, he sensed an extremely powerful aura nearby.

"Irina! You sneaky…. that wasn't fair!" Xenovia pouted as she complained and protested. Issei already recognized that voice, and he swallowed his spit unconsciously. It was revealed that Irina was the one hugging his back. Once Xenovia shared her unpleasantness, Irina only responded by hugging Issei tighter!

Mere moments later, Issei felt another person hugging his left arm, right arm and his legs. They then clung onto him while hugging as well.

"Ise-san! Ise-san Ise-san Ise-san Ise-san!" (Asia)

"Senpai… Welcome home." (Koneko)

"…..Please. Don't leave me again…I missed you so much..." (Akeno)

" _Arara, everyone is crying so much."_ (Issei)

A flash of green light appeared on his left arm, and a warm feeling, all of the sudden, crawled into his heart, healing every ounce of strength he lost. Another warm sensation came from his legs, increasing the healing sensation. Koneko used her healing arts meanwhile Asia used her [Twilight Healing], just like he instructed Ravel to tell them.

"...Why won't you open your eyes, Issei-kun? It's us…" Irina worriedly asked as she used her hand to touch his face.

And so he did.

He slowly lift his eyelids to reveal his brown, chocolate eyes. He thought they were still yellow, and menacing looking.

He saw the twinkling violet pupils and the chestnut pigtails, tied up with blue scrunchies.

It was Irina alright.

He turn to see the others as well. Asia, Akeno, and Koneko had relieved expressions as he turn to look at each one of them.

" _It's been a whole year… but, I'm finally back."_ (Issei)

"Ise-san! I love you so much! I won't ever let go! I won't leave you anymore!" (Asia)

"Senpai… you're the worst… that's why, I'll forgive you… if you keep me by your side from now on…!" (Koneko)

"…It's great that you're really alright!" (Akeno)

"Issei-kun… I always believed and waited for you. So, keep me close… okay?" (Irina)

Issei only smiled and responded by nodding his head.

ZOOM!

Xenovia flew about in the air and charged towards the guards with incredible momentum. She unsheath both Excalibur and Durandal and dual wielded them.

"As I am right now, I could even take down a Maou!" (Xenovia)

The holy aura that had accumulated in Durandal and Excalibur reached insane levels. Xenovia unleashed the aura wave in a cross formation as she cut down with both holy swords at the same time!

"Cross x Crisis!"

With both the holy auras and Ddraig's flame, the damage dealt was significant humongous.

The guards were completely annihilated!

As the smoke clears, Lord Bael simply sighed at the sight of such a disaster.

"...The most powerful youth peerage is back. I clearly underestimated this situation. I should have called over the Champion…" Lord Bael sucked his teeth in annoyance as he watch his guards get ripped to shreds. Anger seeped into his veins, focusing all of it into a menacing stare, which was directed to Issei.

"So, your little group has reunited after a year. I admit, you guys are strong, perhaps even have the potential to become one of the Underworld's greatest. But after today… you guys will be most likely under custody. Rias Phenex, your privileges as a High Class Devil will be revoked, and you will immediately be demoted into a Mid Class. I will personally be confiscating your servants, and they will be punished for conspiracy." (Lord Bael)

Hearing the words spoken from Lord Bael's mouth, Rias became irritated.

"How dare you! For you to declare such a thing!" (Rias)

"I am the Great King of the Underworld, girl. Your precious 'Onii-sama' won't save you this time." (Lord Bael)

"We won't let you do as you please!" (Xenovia)

"We're part of team [DxD]! We solve situations like this one! You've gone too far, Bael!" (Rossweisse)

Lord Bael shriveled in anger as he watched them retaliate against his authority. They seamlessly throw away their lives for the sake of Issei… he thought he was a buffoon, a reckless teenager that won't shut up about woman's breast. He always viewed Issei as a disgusting Reincarnated Devil, whose place is to serve his master and not climb the political ladder. But yet… everyone treated him as a hero, a savior.

Issei defeated Trihexa was just a fluke, he thought. There was no way that Issei alone could have defeated Trihexa, that was impossible.

Yet everyone assumed it was him, because the Maous, Michael and Azazel saw him launch Trihexa's main core into space.

He was just a Low Class Devil…

"I am getting tired of you, Hyoudou Issei. You are obviously trying to bend the rules of the Hierarchy system. You're just a Reincarnated Devil with a Mid-tier Longinus! You have no special blood running through your veins, and your bloodline is just as basic as bread! Hell, I bet you're parents are glad they were tortured by Rizevim-sama! At least they had the privilege of being killed by the son of Lucifer! But yet, everyone regards you as some type of deity! You are absolutely nothing! Shit… even Rias hop over to Riser! How does it feel to find the one you love with another man! She's probably fucked him by now! Look at you, surrounded by four girls, as you helplessly try to breathe! You should learn your place as the pet dragon of Rias Phenex!" (Lord Bael)

The fury of Lord Bael allowed him to dye himself in the aura of the [Power of Destruction]. Jealousy, hatred and pure spite had take over his mentality. The moment he saw Issei on the ground, that's when he had the chance to release all that anger at him. The next thing he wanted to do is humiliate him by taking Ravel by force, and watch as he powerlessly gives up on saving her. The taste of victory was within his lips, and he loved the feeling of being superior.

However, Lord Bael had mistakenly cause Issei to have a trauma.

The memories were still fresh in his head; their eyes were deprived from life, and their expressions were horrific as their mouths were filled with blood.

— _Oh, I forgot, I killed them! Don't worry, I already told them the truth already about your true existence. Oh! How they screamed! It made me teared up!_

— _Oi! Sekiryuutei-kun~ Don't you want your parents back? You can have them if you want, but you better hurry before some mean Evil Dragon eats them! Not that it won't matter much, they are already dead! Kukukukuku!_

" _Show them, Issei. You are a Dragon Demigod… all the Gods should fear you. Show them the power that you wield, and the power of the Dragon Cult!"_ (?)

" _...For once, I shall listen to you."_ (Issei)

Issei weakly got on his foot, and gently released the grips of Akeno, Koneko, Asia, and Irina…..

"I-Ise-san? Ise-san!" Asia cried out to his name, but it was hopeless.

Then his gaze locked onto Lord Bael. He heads towards him, while walking like a ghoul. He summoned the [Boosted Gear] on his left arm instantaneously as he walked forward.

Asia, Rossweisse, Ravel was confused as to what was happening; they angrily glared at Lord Bael.

"How could you?!" (Asia)

"You're a monster!" (Ravel)

"You dare speak about his parents?!" (Rossweisse)

"Ahahahaha! You've snap! What a weakling! Just by taunting you, you absolutely became broken! Whatcha gonna do, huh?! Go into [Juggernaut Drive]?!" (Lord Bael)

Issei continued to look at him. He looked completely bizarre.

"...Oh no, Issei-kun…" (Irina)

"...Have you regretted saying all those thing, Lord Bael?" Issei unemotionally directed a question towards Lord Bael. Seeing how Issei was supposedly weak, Lord Bael aimed his hand towards Issei, and the [Power of Destruction] manifested in his hands.

"The fuck?! What type of question is that?! Of course I meant everything I said, you trash! Now stand there die!" (Lord Bael)

An immensely evil smile was finally shown upon Issei's face. His eyes, once again, turned bright yellow and his pupils deteriorated.

"Good. At least I won't feel bad when I rip your guts out." (Issei)

(InFamous 2: The Red Soundtrack— [Track 1/22] — Abducted)

 **DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!**

The raw aura exploded within him, making the ground crack and the skies turn dark.

His 12 orange wings expanded from his back, and his [Boosted Gear] went berserk.

 **[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB—]** the announcer didn't even finish saying the word boost, and continue to fanatically to repeat the first syllable.

His aura continued to expand, until he was practically bathing on it.

Lord Bael instinctively fired the [Power of Destruction] at him in response, but it proved futile as Issei smacks it away from. A distant explosion can be heard, which was the cause of the [Power of Destruction].

"He deflected it?!" (Lord Bael)

Surprised, Lord Bael summoned magic circles to retaliate against Issei. However—

"Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

 **[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB—]**

The magic circles were shattered by his sheer voice.

The ground continued to shake violently as Issei powers up.

Then, he vanished, and reappeared in front Lord Bael.

He grabbed him by the neck, and applied all the force he could possibly can to choke him until death. Lord Bael, struggling to repel him, used his [Power of Destruction] to stun him, and get away from.

Boom!

Even with fist covered [Power of Destruction], even if Issei took damage and it left a mark on his face….

He was still choking him.

Lord Bael tried again, and still was fultie. It was like Issei lost every sense of pain. Blood dripped from his forehead, and he licks it in satisfaction, terrifying Lord Bael and everyone else.

"Sthhap!" he tried to tell him to stop, but only carbon dioxide came out of his lips.

"I ain't no Devil, nor a servant of Rias Phenex. I am the Dragon Demigod of Time, Hyoudou Issei. Your position, your miserable life means nothing to me!" (Issei)

Now he truly regretted provoking him.

The aura became something more sinister—

The souls of the [Evil Dragons] began to ooze, screaming in the absolute void. (A/N: It's kinda how imperfect Cell powered up in front the androids and Piccolo).

Tears clouded his eyes as he continued to struggle. Issei smiled at the sight of him worming around, and the sounds of him choking pleased him and made him satisfied.

(End of soundtrack)

However that satisfaction was short lived. A magic circle appeared behind him, which released some kind of technique.

"—!" unaware of it, Issei was struck by that magic. His power had been siphoned away, and then he collapsed onto the ground.

Lord Bael was released from his merciless grip. The oxygen rushed towards his lungs, and he coughed multiple time in agony.

"Good, I've made it in time." (Azazel)

Azazel appeared in front of Issei.

"Sorry, but I used this hypnosis technique on you. Just rest… you've earned it." (Azazel)

Issei closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber on the spot.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Yay! We finished chapter 21!**_

 _ **Here are some finishing notes:**_

 _ **Arc II of Dragonbreak Chronicles is set a year after Volume 21 of the DxD LNs. Although I have created a alternative timeline, new enemies and etc, I'm still using the original LNs as a source for a reason, which I always give credit to Ichiei in the Author's Note. You guys read some spoilers from Shin Vol 1 without even realizing it. The reason why I still use the LNs is to be as close to canon as I possibly can, and since it's a year after Vol 21, these new characters that Ichiei created definitely exist… just in a different situation, because it's a AU.**_

 _ **Chapter 22 is coming soon, so you guys don't have to worry about waiting for long time for it. Just give me a few weeks.**_

 _ **Alright! PM me if you guys have any questions, or DM me in discord!**_

 _ **See y'all!**_


	22. Embrace, Arc II

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Telepathy

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

 _ **A/N: What's up guys?**_

 _ **I would like to thank fazrule21 and the others for their insightful review. They gave him some great criticism regarding last chapter. I deeply apologize for its performance, but I'll do better this chapter. The usual dialogue and descriptions are back, no need to worry.**_

 _ **Anyways, I tried my best to give as much romance as I can in this chapter.**_

 _ **Some parts are heavily inspired by the chinese webnovel known as 'NEET Receives a Dating Sim System'! It's a great webnovel and I recommend it to anybody who like Japanese Light Novels in general! The translator, imperfectluck, does a tremendous job on translating the novel along with his editor, vb24 (unfortunately he no longer edits it). Give it a try!**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

* * *

" _Chu~"_ — Shidou Irina

* * *

Embrace, Arc II

Serafall Memorial Hospital is literally the epicenter of all attention in the supernatural world. For an entire day, everyone had forgotten about the Rating Game World Tournament, and solely focus on the teenager who saved their lives from the threat of the imperial beast. Outside the building, many fans of [Oppai Dragon] chanted 'Oppai' and showed off their display of various things: from fanart, to cosplay, to smiling children holding action figures…. there was even a daring group of young ladies showing their support and love to Issei by exposing their bare chest! Nobody care about morality because the 'Oppai Dragon' was the embodiment of sexual desire!

There was so much commotion going on, that the Devils' Government had to intervene by sending the police force to maintain order.

[Sirzechs had issued an Executive Order to disperse the demonstrators and the fans for the stability of the city! So much people of various parts of not just only the Underworld, but other factions have come to see Hyoudou Issei! Unfortunately, we are not allow to gain entry to interview Hyoudou-sama, but Sirzechs promises that we will have exclusive access tomorrow! Stay tune to hear upcoming updates!]

The news reporter distributed the information to listeners worldwide, making many people cancel their schedules and plans to tune in onto the news station. Marathons of the 'Oppai Dragon' show started to air, podcasts and streams flooded Devitube, and many 'Oppai Dragon' merchandise have begun to sell at a frightening paste.

The whole world prepared themselves for the event. It seemed that the Rating Game World Tournament had been nonexistent.

Meanwhile everyone celebrated, Issei was comfortably recuperating. The doctors and surgeons closed off all wounds on his body using [Phoenix Tears] and exquisite medical equipment provided by Serafall herself. The doctors also requested for someone who can take care of Issei's everyday needs, to minimize his movement and maximize his recovery process.

The doctor's request became a heated competition among the Girls' Club of Hell. This was a golden opportunity to express their longing, their feelings towards the man they loved the most! (For those who don't read the LNs, the Girls' Club of Hell is basically Ise's harem, which consist of Rias, Akeno, Asia, Xenovia, Irina, Koneko, Ravel, and recently Kuroka. Don't quote me on that though).

In the end, the doctors hurriedly and secretly chose Irina based on first come first serve basis. She was waiting in the longue for the longest, just to be given access to visit him.

"Go ahead Angel-san. You were here first." the doctor said, as he felt bad when he saw her worried expression. Irina's complexion became brighter and her eyes shined with thankfulness.

"T-Thank you! May Michael-sama bless you for—" just as she was about to thank the doctor, his hand suddenly rose up to stop Irina from completing her sentence.

"T-There's no need for blessings…" the doctor fearfully said, making Irina realize that he was a devil, and devils usually don't like things that associate with prayers or holiness.

She nodded to the doctor and went on her way.

-Line Break-

Her hand retracted itself from using the door knob. She was tempted to abandon all of her restraints, and directly flung open the door, letting her emotions take over and rush towards him. She wanted to hug him, to feel his embrace and the touch of his lips over hers. But… she knew that rushing things might not have the intended outcome that she desired; there was also the chance that Issei might be sleeping, and doing rashly things would only bother him.

" _Mou~~! It's been like ten minutes, and yet I haven't move a muscle!"_ she yelled at herself for being a coward. Everytime she tried to open the door, her heart immediately starts to pound tremendously, just wanting to burst from her chest. Her cheeks had tint of red, and her violet eyes were teary.

" _Remain clam Irina! As long you have faith, everything will turn out just fine! Cast out all of your doubts and walk forward!"_

" _Just knock first…"_ she encouraged herself to use her remaining willpower to knock on the door.

[Knock Knock!]

"..."

For brief moment, there was no response. The dreadful silence made Irina's heart go down from a steep, raising her anxiousness about a ton more than she already had. She guessed that Issei was sleeping, and perhaps it was better to not bother him… but her firm resolve would not allow her to just walk away!

" _Even if he's sleeping, It is my duty to look after him!"_ she insisted on herself. And just when she gripped the door knob and turn the hinges—

"...You can come in." finally, a weak and rather rough voice responded.

It was Issei!

Hearing the response from the other side, Irina turned the handle and slowly opened the door.

And there he was… Hyoudou Issei, the Sekiryuutei, the hero who saved the entire world… looking straight at her.

Issei was a bit annoyed at first when he heard the knock on his door, believing to be another inspection that required him to do something tiresome; it was obvious that he wanted to be left alone, for whatever reason.

When he saw the chestnut pigtails and the angelic face however, it was the last thing he expected to see today! His eyes that had a glint of annoyance had turned soft and wet; a red tint ran across his face as his heart rate began to pick up, making the heartbeat monitor increase the frequency of the sound. Feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable to have Irina see him in such a state, he shyly turned his head away from her.

In truth however...

— _At least I won't feel bad when I rip your guts out._

He was ashamed of himself for being provoked by Lord Bael's taunting. If anything, Issei should've showed of his maturity to Irina and the others, but instead, he succumb to the madness that he never wanted to show. He was overjoyed that Irina visited him, but at the same time… he couldn't face her.

Irina proceed to enter the room and close the door behind her; when she heard the door closed, a strange numb sensation coursed through her entire body, reaching the ends of her toes and fingers. The emotions were too real to call this encounter a fantasy or a dream; the man who promised a future for her, was really right in front of her eyes! Her vision became rather hazy, her nose was stuffed, and droplets of tears came out of her eyelashes.

" _So I ended up crying after all… seriously."_

The sounds of sniffing made Issei turn his head around, only to find Irina desperately wiping her tears. Seeing her cry made his heart ache.

Although his face still was a bit red from being shy, he naturally smiled and extended his arms.

"You're still so clumsy after all this time…" he softly murmured.

 **[You're the clumsy one]** Ddraig remarked silently within Issei consciousness.

Hearing Issei say that made Irina's pupils shrink, as if something pierced her chest. At that moment, the chains of worries had been shattered, and the pent-up feelings that she had saved for a year finally released itself in a form of an indescribable force that made her reach towards his embrace, hugging him with all she had.

" _Ah… so warm, so hot…."_ her heart moaned within contact of his body.

She didn't know if it was her own body heating up, or she was feeling the heat from Issei's body; whatever it was, she felt a penetrating warmth that had the power to heal an injured soul. Her body felt like it was baked in a everlasting fire…

" _Let's just melt, then. I just want to hug him and melt together with him…"_ Her arms had no signs of release anytime soon; as in matter of fact, it seemed like it was getting tighter!

" _Irina-chan, you're hurting me…"_ Issei said, but not out loud; he merely mouthed it with his lips. If he said that all of the sudden, it would ruin the atmosphere and make it awkward again!

" _This is my punishment for leaving you behind… so, it's okay to not hold back!"_ His hand started to move nonvoluntary, stroking her head gently; Irina felt a sense of security and comfort from Issei patting her head.

Irina didn't want to let go of him, no matter what.

"Can we stay like this for a bit longer?" she plead. Her breasts were mushed together with his chest, and Issei felt her loud and quick heartbeats. At least, she got to hide behind the fact that the monitor wasn't picking up her heart rate.

"...Yeah." he agreed. Issei took upon himself to let Irina go through this beautiful process; he silently continued to comfort her and solely thought of only her and nothing else.

While Issei did his best to continue to support Irina, various flashbacks came and went through her mind as she buried her head in his chest. (A/N: These are various quotes from the LNs. The first one should be recognizable since it was in the anime)

— _I also like him! He's really lecherous and he always thinks about ecchi things… But he's always burning more than anyone. He doesn't give up. He works hard. I know that he is a person who can fight for those he loves! Everyone knows that as well right!?_

— _Yes we do!_

— _That's why let's root for him! Let's send our voices to him! Oppai-Dragon! He stands up no matter what! Underworld and Heaven! He fought for people from many different Worlds!_

It was during that time when he was against the ropes during the final match between himself and Sairaorg. Irina tearfully cheered him on while openly confessing her love for him. Unfortunately, she couldn't expressed it like the others did at that time, because she was an Angel; she wanted a relationship with her only crush and love, but couldn't do it because of his pervertedness might rub of on her, and might cause her to fall.

" _He's always fraught anybody who threaten the peace and happiness of others…"_ Irina recalled that particular moment, and it reinforced her amount of trust in his ability.

— _Umm, Oppai! I have returned while riding on Great-Red!_

Even when Issei was poisoned with Samuel's curse, he spat on death for the second time around. When he returned on Great Red, Irina tearfully cried and was relieved that he survived. However, she didn't ran to him and embraced him like Akeno, Asia, and Koneko did. No matter how tempting it was, she held back.

" _He always return, no matter the circumstances…"_ that memory allowed her to believe that he will never go back on his promises and vows, no matter the situation.

— _The one who was unfair was you, Ise-kun. If you say something like that…I can't hold it… …I won't be able to leave you…!_

The most important memory…. it spoke for itself. Irina finally opened her heart to him. Maybe because the [Ero Room] allowed her to act like a girl around Issei… or maybe because she couldn't hold on the act of just being childhood friends when he said that he'll protect her, no matter what.

" _I will always love him…!"_ with romantic emotions overtaking her mind and her body… she just decided to let go. No more holding back. Simply, she just want to love him, in any way possible.

And for him to love her back as well.

"I love you Issei-kun! I miss you so much…!" she said with a passionate gaze, meeting his chocolate brown eyes that had been patient and gentle with her selfishness.

"I love you too, Irina." he was capitated by the amount of sincerity in her voice. It was heavenly beautiful, no pun intended.

Driven by emotion and her bodily instincts rather than logic, she drew her face closer to his, brushing her hair to the side. The Dragon Demigod felt her delicate hands upon his rough cheekbone, pulling him closer and brushing his overgrown hair to the side to see his face clearly…

There was a scar on his lip and on his brow. But she didn't care, in fact, she thought it made him a bit more attractive.

"You've become so handsome…" the honesty of her alluring tone was… addictive.

"You think so? I thought I've become more skinnier…" Issei shly said. True, he had a terrible diet, and he was a bit malnourished… but his body still kept its shape.

"Not really. If anything at all, you look more mature." she commented on Issei's maturity. Issei silently disagree however, still impacted by his actions not too long ago.

But soon after, it did not matter.

The Dragon Demigod and the Angel got themselves caught in a trance. Eventually, the two pairs of lips intercepted, resulting in a sweet kiss. It wasn't the most erotic kiss they have ever done, but the amount of passion Irina put into it… made it the most heartwarming and heart fulfilling. Issei responded, gently kissing back.

Unfortunately, they couldn't continue any longer because they were short on breath. Seconds passed, and Issei finally managed himself to break the kiss, despite knowing that Irina will protest against it. When he did, she puffed her cheeks in disappointment.

"...You don't wanna keep going?" she asked, wanting the moment to last for all eternally.

"W-Well…" baffled by this new attitude, Issei tried to respond, but blushed heavily instead.

Irina then smirked seductively as she thought of a daring idea.

She tossed her arms over his neck, and brought her face over. Issei felt her breathing down on his neck, and his nerves slightly jolted at every hot breath she puffed out onto him.

After finding enough confidence to go through her evil plan, she proceeded to do the next step.

"Chu~" her lips made contact with his exposed neck. Issei immediately jolt hard at the sensation of Irina lips, and it made him felt a bit ticklish. Irina tighten her embrace just to make sure Issei did not move too much.

The teenage Angel continued to give small pecks and gentle kisses on his neck to make him feel the pleasure. Issei was starting to feel it, and the feeling did not have any type discomfort.

Then, Irina suddenly started to suck the skin. It was like she was trying to suck his every essence out of his body. After a few seconds of sucking, she gentle bites him and proceeded to do the same process again. Issei tried to set himself free, but Irina held on until she got what she wanted.

After that, she parted her lips from his neck, and trail of saliva appeared. She wiped it off embrassily.

In result of a daring act, Irina left a hickey on Issei's neck. A mark that defined her absolute affection and love towards him.

" _You gotta be kidding me…"_ Issei was left speechless by Irina's unpredictable attack. Since when she became this lewd?! Did her wings even flicker, or she just simply did not care?

"I gave Issei-kun's first love mark…" Finally returning to logic and reasoning, Irina immediately retreated from him and took a seat by the bed, feeling utterly and completely embarrassed by the fact that she showed a side of her that was… rather unique amongst Angels.

Still overtaken by the fact that Irina had left him hickey, Issei stared blankly at her. Embarrassment and silence engulfed the two lovers, as they never actually experience such amorous actions.

The shy but yet daring Angel decided to break the silence by apologizing; not having to say anything after doing _that_ would cause her to faint!

"I-I-I-I'm sorry! I just… when I… The thought of giving you a mark was… it just sounded good in my head… umm, did it… did it felt good?" she asked, as her face couldn't get any redder.

"It was unexpected. But who showed you that?" Issei smiled helplessly, but was curious about how Irina learn to—

" _Must've been Kiryuu!"_ he already answered his own question. Aika Kiryuu is extremely notorious for give the Church Trio lewd advices, which prove to be… usually it caused him many disturbances; not because he didn't like it, in fact, he would have love it… if they didn't kept on luring him into the [Dimensional Room] at inappropriate times. For example, one time the Church Trio drag him inside the [Dimensional Room] when he needed to use the bathroom. Issei silently thanked Ravel for restricting those three at that time, or he would ended up… well, he would have been _dried out_.

"Kiryuu gave me some advice…" she answered. Soon after, she smiled and started to fiddle her fingers and fidget her shoulders.

"...Who are you, and what have you done to Irina-chan?" Issei couldn't help himself but laugh innocently as he teased her.

"Mou~ You meanie…" she instantly pouted and gave him a little playful shove as he laughed.

The two lovers continue to laugh and reminisced on their childhood memories, remembering when they used to play games that were suited for boys, although Irina is a girl. Eventually, both lost their sense of time and engulfed themselves in each other's company.

Irina made herself more comfortable by taking off her shoes and got on Issei's bed. She helped herself to the bed sheets, and covered both of their bodies. Issei felt extremely cozy when his childhood Angel snuggled herself into his embrace.

"I'll help you get better by using the power of love to heal and mend your soul!" Irina happily exclaimed, using a bit of hyperbole to exaggerate.

Issei stared at her for a few seconds before nodding.

"Hm. Seems nice."

"And from now on, I am Issei-kun's exclusive Angel Counselor!" she added, having her eyes sparkle with excitement. At this point, they were both in a playful mood.

"That actually sounds pretty nice. Do I get some bonuses for being your exclusive client?" he asked. Irina giggled and cutely winked at him while revealing a seductive light in her violet eyes.

"...Hehehe. I don't know~ Maybe~"

Irina then gave a quick smooch on his lips.

"You get to kiss me whenever you want."

"Just kiss you?" Issei purposely sounded disappointed to make Irina blush. Instead however—

"If you want more than that, put a ring on it~" Irina childishly sticked out her tongue.

"...Cheeky Angel." Issei mumbled in defeat.

"Just kidding~ We are already engaged. But I'll make sure to never leave your side. So prepare yourself, and take responsibility!"

"Hai, hai, Irina-sama."

"Hmph! Anyways, my parents are coming tomorrow, and they would like to speak with you personally." she told him, but Issei confusingly looked at her, not having a clue of what she was talking about.

"About what?"

"It's about our marriage ceremony! Mou~ Don't tell me you have forgotten about it…" Irina looked at him with worrying eyes.

"I-I haven't! It's just… it's too early to think about marriage, and we should at least wait until we establish ourselves. Don't you agree?"

Irina did agree that it was a bit too early for marriage; despite the things they've done for the supernatural world, they were only just teens still.

"But still, we could at least start planning it." at the same time, she really wanted Issei to keep his promise.

"...I guess." Issei shrugged his shoulders, not really caring either way; he was just happy that he was with Irina, and he planned to keep it that way.

After hearing a satisfying answer, Irina proceed to cuddle into Issei's chest once again.

"Issei~ Issei~ Let's go on a date when you're clear!" calling his name in a heartwarming matter, Irina suggested that they should go out when Issei's clearance comes, allowing him to leave the Hospital.

"...I would love too, but I don't have any decent clothes to wear." Issei sadly confessed.

"No worries! You can wear some of Papa's old clothes! I'll ask him to bring it tomorrow." Irina smiled cheerfully.

"Okay. But where are we going for our date?" he asked. Usually, Issei was the one who typically organizes dates whenever Rias or Akeno wanted to go with him. But because it's been a year since he made any type of contact, it'll be a bit difficult to know what's trending in the human world or the Underworld.

Irina still smiled confidently as she answered him.

"We're going to Kyoto!"

"K-Kyoto?" he repeated to get confirmation.

"Yes! During our trip there during the New Years', it left such an romantic expression on me! I simply just to go there with you… just the two of us." she fidgeted as a blush ran across her face once again. Issei simply couldn't resist that face she made!

"Alright. I'll leave everything to you, I guess." he felt oddly weird to have the gender roles switched, but he decided to pay no attention to it.

" _Yes! I got him to agree! Ah, I'm so happy, so excited…"_ Irina mentally shouted within the depths of her soul. If it wasn't for Issei's presence, she would have rolled around the bed in sheer happiness and excitement!

" _It does feel strange to me that the date would be my first with Irina… After all we've been through…"_ Issei silently thought to himself as Irina was squealing and trying to maintain her overwhelming joy.

 **[Ever since the attacks on that educational facility for the low class devil children, you had almost no time for yourself to do any other activities besides training.]** Ddraig stated.

" _Right…"_

"Since we got that out of the way… what should we do now?" she asked; although she wouldn't mind staying silent and simply just enjoy the embrace of the man she loved, she was interested in getting to know about his adventures, even though she did not say it directly; she merely gave him a sign.

"I don't know, what else is there to do?" Issei scratched his head while he asked.

"...We could talk about anything you like. Like I said before, I am your exclusive Angel Counselor."

"That's neat; you'll listen to me rambling about how much I miss you?"

"...If you desire." she murmured in a shy tone, fidgeting her arms. She desperately wanted to hear it.

"...You see, for an entire year, I was training under Akatosh's guidance on a sub-dimension of the [Dimensional Gap] known as the [Forgotten Valley]. Man… that place was insane; I barely felt my feet and hands as they were too numb because of the temperature. I had no other company, excluding Akatosh, to converse with…. My thoughts happen to come across you every time I felt lonely, and trust me, that was almost everyday. I missed your pouts and your complaining when Xenovia or Asia comes to interrupt our privacy. I miss your kisses, you hugs, your overfriendliness… I miss—" just when Issei was about continue to share his thoughts, a knock on the door was heard, interrupting him.

Knock Knock!

"Hyoudou-sama?" a Nurse, who Issei was designated to be her patient, called out to him if she could go inside.

"...Yeah. Come in." the interruption crushed Issei's morale, and he no long wanted to say anything else.

"Excuse me, Hyoudou-sama, you have several VIP guests that are coming to see you in just a few moments." the Nurse said, which had piqued his curiosity.

"Wait, I don't understand. I thought— Nevermind, can you tell me who's coming?"

"Y-Yes. Among them are Lucifer-sama and his family, the Gremory Peerage—" the Nurse began listing the order of people who were coming to visit him.

"Who's coming first?"

"Oh, well… it's Lucifer-sama, Grayfia-sama and Millicas-sama… O-Of course, Lucifer-sama has asked me to confirm this information with you; if you so desire, they could switch spots with the Gremory Peerage." the Nurse informed him, giving him an option to see his old comrades, or get fed with Politics.

"...What do you think Irina?" having no preference, Issei decided to ask Irina for her opinion.

"I'm not sure on what to think. You choose, Issei-kun."

"...Alright, I guess we can see Sirzechs first." he sighed.

"Yes, I'll ask them to come right away. Angel-san, please continue to care for Hyoudou-sama."

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: There's another chapter done! Yay~ I do hope you guys don't mind this chapter being a bit short. But hey, that just means that I continue to write more, right?**_

 _ **I tried to put a lot of fanservice onto this chapter to enhance the relationship of Issei and Irina. If you guys were expecting a lemon however, well… you gotta wait.**_

 _ **Don't worry, the rest of the gang will meet (actually meet) Issei in the next chapter. …He says, as he continues to keep saying the same shit for like the next 20 chapters XD. No seriously, they're gonna meet.**_


	23. Update Note (Reupload)

Well, well, well... looks like I'm still alive and kicking, eh?

What's up guys? It's been too long since I posted a chapter, and that was back on August. It freaking December now, what the fuck happened!? Well, its like this: I would rather not post anything for months on end than make a sorry-ass excuse of a chapter. I had no motivation, and without motivation, there's no point in creating something that requires you to be extremely active and excited.

I have you know that I actually started working on chapter 23 right after I posted 22, and made some remarkable progress. I wrote about 5,000 words before I just simply lost interest. I do apologize if you guys were waiting for the chapter... but I have some good news though! I am slowly getting my momentum back again, and I am starting where I left off back on August. I do not know when I would consider the chapter complete and ready to publish, but the proposed date is on December 27, the second anniversary of Dragonbreak Chronicles (Yes, i know that sounds corny). No promises though, so don't just mark that in your calendar just yet.

Thank you guys for the support, and let's continue the ride onto 2019!

Oh, and like always, this update note will be deleted shortly after the chapter is published. Also, if you guys happen to post a review, whether it's questions or request, do you mind telling me what's been the current trend on the DxD fanfic archives? It's been a hot minute since I read any DxD fanfictions.

Thanks!

LJ-Zero~


	24. Towards Tomorrow, Arc II Final

Highschool DxD Fanfiction: Dragonbreak Chronicles

"..."-Conversation

" _..."_ -Thoughts/Telepathy

(...)-Side Note

 **[...]** -Ddraig/Announcer

[...]-Communication(Magic Circle)/Titles/Television

 _ **A/N: It's been awhile since I posted a new chapter, huh? Not what I expected for the year of 2018, but I guess that's how things are these days… Anyways, welcome to the last chapter of Arc II!**_

 _ **I wasn't expecting for Arc II to end this short, but I wanted to start something new and fresh. It's been long overdue, and it's time for the story to switch gears a bit. If I was to continue the way I was going, I'll be honest with you guys, I was going to abandoning everything. To save interest and make writing fun again, I came up with this conclusion.**_

 _ **This is probably the most anticipating chapter of this fanfiction for those who have been following the story thus far, but unfortunately, I think I might not have reach your guys' expectations. I think I might have overhyped it too much.**_

 _ **Lots of things happened to the DxD community while I was busy with college applications and what not, so forgive me for my absence, for those who care enough I guess.**_

 _ **Also, if your interested, join the Exelica discord! I can provide a link if you PM me. However, I'm not entirely active, and I usually keep to myself (unless I have the time to mess around).**_

 _ **Highschool DxD is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi. I do not own anything, for the exception of my own plot twists, inspirations and the personalities of certain characters!**_

 _ **Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!**_

 _ **Also, Thank you guys for TWO YEARS of support! Happy Holidays~!**_

* * *

" _...I'm home"_ — Hyoudou Issei, Dragon Demigod

* * *

Towards Tomorrow..., Arc II Final

He twisted his wrist to see if it was still aching. When he did, he flinched in slight discomfort; once again, his muscles were suffering from tearing itself due to overwhelming his body. The maple-haired teen slightly goan, a bit irritated at the fact that the pain wasn't anything but annoying. If only his hand could reach that glass of water… his pupil slightly bulged in thirst, licking his lips and imagining the clear liquid running down his parched throat. The more he thought of it, the more itchy his throat became. The urge to gulp everything down was burning within his soul, but yet his hand was too tired to even lift up a pinky.

The next thing he knew, the water gracefully touch his lips and entered his esophagus. The pair of angelic, delicate hands (one was holding his head, the other holding and adjusting the cup to help him drink) helped him ease his thirst.

After giving him an sufficient amount of water, she gently placed his head on the pillow, and the cup on the table.

"Good morning Issei-kun." she greeted him lovingly, as would a newlywed wife would greet her husband.

Having the satisfaction of drinking the water, the Dragon Demigod used an ounce of his strength to slowly lift his upper body up. As he does so, his brown eyes met the amethyst eyes of his most beloved girl, Shidou Irina.

"Morning sunshine." he greeted her back.

"You missed Sirzechs's visit! Sleepyhead!" she giggled softly. She knew it would inevitably happen, since she did stroke Issei's head while waiting for Sirzechs and his family to come; the result lead to Issei sleeping, and the Maou's rescheduling of the appointment (as well as the Gremory Peerage appointment).

Issei's eye twitched like wildfire when he heard Irina gave him the news.

"Eh?" only giving a dumbfounded answer, Issei's face became filled with worry.

"Ah shit! I totally went to sleep~! How long was I knocked out?!"

"Only for a couple of hours." Irina responded innocently.

Issei's shoulders slump down in guilt as he put on sulking expression.

"...When is he coming back?"

"Today!" she responded happily.

"...Gah…"

-Line Break-

A secret meeting took place on the rooftop of a certain building in the human world. In the rooftop garden, a table and chair were placed in the centre. The man who sat in the chair, Ajuka Beelzebub, greeted the young man who silently appeared from the shadows of darkness…. Ajuka closed the book that he was reading, and focused his attention to that man, known as [Slash Dog].

"Tobio-kun. You've return." Ajuka greeted the university student with anticipation of the information he sought for quite some time. Ikuse Tobio helped himself to a chair and sat on it, releasing a heavy sigh of exhaustion. The man had an impulse to say 'No shit', but immediately disembark the urge, for it would be disrespectful towards one of the Devil Kings. If it was Azazel however… let's just say he would act less formal.

"You got whiskey?" [Slash Dog] asked. Ajuka gave a wry smile and pour some tea on a cup, then offered it to him.

"I'm afraid not." Beelzebub solemnly replied.

"Although its not alcohol, It's better than nothing. I could just wait until I go back to bar and have a couple of drinks. You wanna come?" Ikuse Tobio offered.

"Unfortunately, I cannot."

"Figures. You seemed to be the busiest out of all the Devil Kings, Beelzebub-sama." the bartender comment as Ajuka nodded his head in agreement.

"Likewise to you. I don't see how you have the time to run a local pub, be a university student, and work in shadows for Grigori and me at the same time…" Ajuka pointed out. Tobio simply shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of the tea Ajuka offered.

"Anyways… back to business?"

The casual chit chat was put to the side, and the atmosphere had become a bit denser and professional. When dealing with sensitive information that might cause significant damage to all mythologies, the amount of attention must be full at all times.

"Yes please." Ajuka answered.

Tobio then laid out several photographs onto the table. Ajuka took one of them to inspect in great detail, and noticed something oddly particular that stood out to him. Just as he was about asked Tobio for confirmation and an explanation, the university student already knew what he had to do.

"That picture was taken a month ago. That man is Kanzaki Mitsuya, the duel longinus processor." Tobio explained the identity of the mysterious man in the photo.

"I see… [Innovate Clear] and [Telos Karma]'s…"

Ajuka placed his hand on his chin and sank into thought for a while. Rather abruptly, he asked Ikuse Tobio

"…What do you think? I want to know what your frank opinion is, given that you're someone who has seen the other side of every faction."

Tobio then proceeded to hand him another photo, ignoring his question. When Ajuka saw what was on it, his eyes widen in shock.

"T-This is…!"

"You're eyes are not deceiving you. That is Lord Bael and Kanzaki Mitsuya, seemly talking to one another. There is no doubt that they have responded to the suspicious movements of the leaders of hell that the god Hades began."

"This…. Lord Bael is committing treason. Literally…" Ajuka was shocked, but quickly recovered; this was Lord Bael they were talking about, and it only made him felt foolish to be surprised at that point.

"I must launch an investigation on the House of Bael, as soon as possible." Ajuka hastily said, but Tobio seemed to think there was something far worse than Lord Bael, and the Maou Beelzebub should worry about that instead.

"Beelzebub-sama. If Ise-kun suddenly encounters [First Dark], who falls outside the bounds of logic, and whose very existence has been erased, then—" Tobio expressed his concern, only to be rendered speechless at Ajuka's confident smirk.

"I wouldn't worry about that. I'm sure Ise-kun can handle himself." Ajuka said confidently; if Issei could defeat Trihexa, then he'll have no problem in dealing with Kanzaki or his accomplices… probably.

"...Right. However, I am still worried about Vali encountering him. I'll make sure I'll keep a close eye."

"That's probably for the best."

The conversation ended rather abruptly as both men began to ponder on what to do next. Tobio then became curious about Issei.

"How's he doing, by the way?" Tobio asked. Ajuka knew who Tobio was asking about, so he answered:

"Well, beside the fact that he almost choked Lord Bael to death, Issei-kun is doing fine. He's reciprocating in [Serafall Memorial Hospital]."

"He what?" Tobio thought he misunderstood, and asked again.

"You heard me right. I don't know the exact details, by Azazel told me that Issei basically almost killed Lord Bael. Had to step in and use that Hypnosis technique to knock him out."

"...Perhaps, Issei knows what Lord Bael was up to?" Tobio predicted.

"No… from what Azazel told me, Lord Bael taunted him until he reached his breaking point."

"Taunted him?"

"It is a frustrating topic, and I rather not get into it. But Issei-kun's existence is considered to be like a miracle to many people. Whatever he experienced while he was away, I hope it won't affect him too much." Beelzebub sighed.

As the two continued their babble about politics and strategy, amid the conversation, a certain someone was eavesdropping Ajuka and Tobio. She did not had the ill intention to listen, in fact, she was just heading inside the room to ask Ajuka for some assistance on a trivial matter.

Then, she heard his name.

Hyoudou Issei, the current Sekiryuutei.

Her orange, carnelian-like eyes expanded and widen when hearing that name. She heard many songs regarding that particular man, which she found them quite strange. Songs of breasts and lust, but yet, many children and their parents approve of it, even worship it.

" _This Red Dragon is really strange."_ she thought to herself.

But, nonetheless, her curiosity spiked.

Perhaps he is willing to listen to her mysterious song, filled with lavender and youth, but yet, tied down by the loneliness.

Maybe he'll somewhat cure her illness. Or maybe not.

She did not hope too much.

-Line Break-

After a few minutes after Sirzechs and his family entered the room, they noticed something off about the Dragon Demigod.

Issei spaced out, and a considerable amount of time had passed before Irina had to apparently call him multiple times in able for Issei to hear her.

"Issei-kun!"

"Hah..? Oh, right…"

" _Damn it, I'm still having the habit of suddenly tuning out of reality."_ Issei mentally commented, then sighed heavily.

 **[Who's fault is that, I wonder?]**

" _...Shut up."_ the Dragon Demigod retorted.

 **[Anxiety and tension seems to just follow you around, doesn't it, partner?]** Ddraig asked. The Red Dragon seemly knew how unsettling it was to be stared.

" _Maybe."_

Irina tried to comfort Issei by rubbing her hand softly across his back, but it didn't help much. If she could, she would have done more lovey-dovey stuff with him to make him feel better, but Sirzechs and his family were watching…

However...

" _Why wouldn't they speak?"_ The Dragon Demigod asked himself. He could not tell whether it was sympathy, or the way they looked at him; their silence made him feel… alienated, as if their stares saw something that was insanely taboo.

It began to irritate Issei.

The brown-haired teen thought that if Sirzechs and Grayfia came to gloat, then they should just leave.

However, he did felt bad for Millicas. The child of the Maou was simply just staring in pure innocence, and he was overwhelming happy to see his Ex-Uncle alive and well. But seeing him after all this time, the kid was extremely shy and nervous to get near or speak to him. If only the child parents would talk, then maybe he would get the chance to spend some time with his idol, and even have him tell some of his adventures that he had during the past year.

However, the silence continued. At that point, Issei tiresomely gathered his strength.

" _Fine. If you two won't say anything, then I'll just talk with Millicas."_ Issei decided to fulfill the child's wish. He struggled a little to get out of the bed, but Irina was there to lend him a hand.

"Take it slow, okay? Don't hurt yourself…" Irina worriedly said as she hold his arm and continued to help him up. Although his body was healed, he still felt extremely sore, and the aching can be excruciating painful if he was careless. When he finally got on his feet, she then slowly let go.

Issei's body reflexively twitched when he heard her heartfelt caution. Her tenderness made him felt all fuzzy inside, and his mood generally became a bit better.

He walked slowly towards the boy with big red eyes that shined with curiosity, anticipation, and nervousness.

Issei was wearing a blue hospital gown, and under it, he was just as naked as the day he was born.

The Maou's family had gotten a better look at Issei's face, and realized his complexion was a bit rough, and there was a scar that vertically ran across his lips and his right eye.

As Grayfia and Sirzechs gazed upon Issei's face in great detail, something extraordinary happened that caught everybody by surprise. The Maou's son tackled Issei! The impact of his blow wasn't something that could be called a mere 'hug'.

Of course, he did not have the intention to attack Issei. It seemed that he was so overjoyed, he simply wished to embrace him.

"Onii-sama!" Millicas cried out to him as he rubbed his small head against Issei's chest as the child's face broke into a smile. Seeing such a scene, everyone became dumbfounded.

"M-Millicas, please be gentle…. you're hurting me…" Issei groaned in slight pain as his body ached from the impact of his hug.

The boy's parents looked at other each seemly bewildered by their son's actions; Grayfia wanted to discipline him for acting out of hand and losing his composure, but then Sirzechs stopped her before doing anything.

Issei was his hero, after all. She had to allow this one expectation.

At the other hand, Sirzechs knew the gratitude that his son had towards Issei because he himself would have expressed his feelings in the same way; ironically, it was a blessing that Sirzechs did not had to seal himself to fight Trihexa. Maou Lucifer understood that Issei saved not only the supernatural world, but his relationship with his family as well. And for that, he enterally thanked him.

However, the Maou felt extremely jealous towards the Dragon Demigod for capturing his son's interest.

"Millicas-sama, please be gentle with Ise-sama." Grayfia advised, using her motherly tone to encourage her son.

"Yes!"

As Millicas excitedly answered to his mother, Issei took a quick peek at the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation. She wore her usual attire, which consisted of a blue and white French maid outfit with long sleeves and a white maid headband over her head, with red lipstick as a cosmetic accessory. Under that outfit however is a voluptuous body with amazing curves, smooth skin, and other feminine attractions; alongside with her wisdom and strict personality, Issei still saw her as the ideal 'Onee-san'. When Grayfia's eyes met his, Issei immediately turned away while having a small blush across his face; the Strongest Queen, at first, was a bit surprised on how soft his eyes were when he looked at her… just a moment ago, they seemed distant, as if he was about a thousand leagues away from them. Then she smiled, finding him quite cute, as he shy away from her view of vision by turning his attention toward her son.

" _Can't forget that moment when we were in the Onsen…"_ Issei thought to himself. Meanwhile, not known to them, Irina was quietly pouting as Issei was staring at Grayfia. Her cheeks were a bit puffed out, and it seemed that she was in a poor mood, even if it was for a few seconds.

" _Mou… baka Issei. Baka, baka, baka, baka! You're only allow to stare at me with those gentle eyes of yours!"_ she mentally scold him off in the midst of her jealousy, which caused her wings and halo to unintentionally unfurled, and flicker white and black, signalizing that she was having impure thoughts.

Everyone noticed it, and turned their undivided attention to her.

"Irina-chan, are you okay?! What the hell happened?" Issei concernedly asked as he walked over to her side.

"Ah! Okaa-sama, Otou-sama! The self-proclaimed Angel's wings are flashing! Is she turning into a Fallen?" Millicas innocently pointed his finger towards the dumbfounded Irina.

"Millicas-sama! It's not proper to point your finger at somebody!" Grayfia yelled. She absolutely had to comment on her son's oblivious nature, which he inherited from his father. Millicas's body jolted in response to his mother scolding, and immediately bowed in a form of a apology.

"Forgive me! I didn't mean to point…" he apologized, but unfortunately, it seem to have no effect towards Irina.

Embarrassed and exposed, Irina could only blame the boy of her troubles for this utter defeat… if only he didn't stare at Grayfia! Why would he in the first place?! She's married to the Maou, for Micheal's sake! And the way Grayfia looked at him as well… it made her infuriated! How come Sirzechs did not notice this?!

" _Mou~ I won't lose! Issei… he's…"_ having many pent up feelings all at once, Irina just decided to victimize her love.

"I'm a real Angel!" she tearfully protested, then proceeded to hit Issei on the shoulder.

"BAKA!" she yelled, and then hid herself under the blankets like a child. It was simply embarrassing to have somebody watch your wings flicker...

"Ow! The fuck was that for?!" Issei cursed as the impact of Irina's punch caused his shoulder to start aching.

"I'm not telling you!" the self proclaiming Angel shot back.

"Hahahaha…." Sirzechs nervously laughed as he had no idea on what the absolute fuck was going on.

Grayfia found it amusing however, and perfectly knew that Irina was jealous because the way Issei looked at her; of course, she physically put on a different expression than what her inner self had… it would look bad on her if she laughed.

" _I have absolutely no interest on Issei-sama. In romance, that is. ...However, Otouto-kun is cute when he's embarrassed."_ the Silver Queen softly smiled.

Millicas was just as oblivious as his father, although he was a bit more curious.

" _What on Akatosh's name is going on today…?"_ the Dragon Demigod couldn't help but asked. Ddraig saw how pitiful his host was, and could not help himself but laugh.

 **[Ahahahahaha! You are just as dense as before, partner!]** his laughter echoed inside of Issei's head. No matter how much he wanted to comment, Issei was rendered speechless as he had no way to retort on what Ddraig stated.

But at least things were flowing naturally..

-Line Break-

At the exterior of the Gremory Household, there was a certain crimson-haired girl that was staring seemingly at the sky of the Underworld…

Rias Phenex, previously known as Rias Gremory, had (for the longest) been contemplating on a decision that could somewhat mend the wounds that she herself created. But, she feared that doing so would just deepen the scars even further.

Her peerage were getting ready to meet Issei soon, but she wasn't.

She was completely afraid of him calling her out on her hypocrisy.

But she wanted to see him.

She was torn between her feelings and her obligations as the wife of Riser Phenex.

Meanwhile, inside the interior of the mansion, Kiba Yuuto, Rias's [Knight], had been silently watching his master struggle with her inner conflicts. He wanted to help her, but she was at a similar situation like last time, when Issei 'died' due to the curse of Samuel.

" _I can't necessarily blame Ise-kun neither."_ he sighed.

The television behind him was showing the circumstances of the capital. They were continuing the evacuations of the demonstrators; they wanted to show their affections towards the [Oppai Dragon], who saved them from the clutches of Trihexa. Lots of people are being lead to safety by the soldiers. Then the children at the capitals were shown. The woman reporter asks one of the children if they were excited to see the [Oppai Dragon]:

[Yes! He's the best!]

The child answers the question with a big smile. Kiba realized that it was the same child back then; the one holding onto a toy of "Oppai Dragon".

" _I'm getting a strange sense of deja vú. But… it's pleasant. Issei-kun never betrayed the children, no matter what. ...Although things might never be same again, I will always be indebted to him. He is my best friend, after all."_ He smiled at his inner thoughts. Now it was his turn to join the bandwagon: he couldn't wait to see him again, just like the girls in his peerage.

"Once again, the children of the Underworld are stronger than we think."

There was sudden voice that drew Kiba's attention. That man is already standing next to him.

"Sairaorg!" surprised, Kiba eyes widen with confusion. Talk about deja vú….

"It's been awhile, Kiba Yuuto. I came to see Rias." Sairaorg said, as he patted Kiba's shoulders.

"Ah, I see. What for?" the Knight asked curiously.

"I'll try to get her act together, just like last time. Strange, isn't? History seems to be repeating itself." Sairaorg smiled at the television as he spoke to Kiba.

The Lion King saw the happy expressions of the citizens at the Capital; it made him feel extremely grateful towards Issei. However...

"Hyoudou Issei has put something very precious not only inside the children's hearts, but in the hearts of every individual, including me. That man, who defeated me in fair combat… I—" Sairaorg seldomly expressed his admiration towards the Dragon Demigod, but stopped half way when he realized he was about to say something that was not necessary for him to say.

"Ah, I see." Kiba understood what Sairaorg was trying to say. He has similar feelings and goals as well.

The desire to catch up to Issei, to stand by his side and fight together as equals…

"Anyways Kiba-kun, I'll leave you to it."

Sairaorg excused himself and walked out towards the exterior of the household.

"I'm coming out Rias."

Saying just that, Sairaorg Bael goes outside. When he walk outside towards the porch, he found Rias sitting on her table, looking at the sky. Her eyes are a bit hollow. Sairaorg Bael makes a sigh of boredom after getting close to her.

"You show me something very boring, Rias."

Seeing his attitude, Rias asks him with an unpleasant face and voice.

"…Sairaorg. Why did you come here…?"

"Why not? Is it wrong to visit your cousin?" He shot back at her. Already, he was quite irritated at her attitude.

"…It is not my concern whether you visit me or not."

"….So you will fall this low, just because you fucked up once. We all make mistakes, Rias. He'll understand. It wasn't your fault. You were supposed to be a better woman than this."

"But I betrayed him! I threw everything we build together in mere matter of months! I hastily married and gave up my chastity before his parents' corpses turned cold! He'll hate me for sure…"

"He won't hate you. He can't hate you."

"What makes you say that?!"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just have a feeling, as man who was defeated by him. But you have to seek his forgiveness, dear cousin. You have to mend the scars in his heart, and win back his trust, even if it takes decades or centuries."

"I don't know if I can…"

"You must! Rias, you owe him at least that much! He sacrificed everything for your family, my family, and everyone else's!"

"But—"

"Go Rias. Go with your peerage. And tell Hyoudou Issei that I will definitely catch up to him!"

After saying that he leaves.

…And there was a sudden silence.

-Line Break-

The liveliness of Millicas began to rub off on Issei as they conversed about various things, from television shows (Millicas had to do all the talking on that topic) to general life advice. The boy, who had a great potential to become an enormous asset to the Underworld Politics, already viewed Issei as something more than just 'The Oppai Dragon' or somebody who he admires; Millicas viewed him as part of his irreplaceable family. The son of the Maou did not care if his aunt, Rias, had married Rasier, for he still viewed Issei as a big brother, and a caring uncle.

However, Irina saw something very different; the way Millicas and Issei were talking, was extremely difficult for her to not imagine them as 'father and son'. There was so much wisdom and maturity in Issei whenever he answered Millicas's questions, and he had not looked impatient when talking with him. The gentleness of his eyes made her heart itch, and her cheeks flourished red.

" _Issei-kun will definitely become a good father."_ she thought happily.

Her violet orbs, filled with various emotions of warmth and love, began to twinkle brighter than any star in the sky. As if it was already bad enough, her cheeks became even redder as she fantasized about _her_ having a family with _him_. A series of scenes came and went through her head from her wild imagination…

" _Ne, Irina-chan? Let's take the kids to the park. The weather should hold up fine. Maybe we should teach them the games we used to play during our childhood!"_

" _Irina-chan, what would you and the kids want for dinner? You guys want to eat out, or would you like me to cook?"_

" _Irina-chan, I just came back from a job. Where's my welcome home kiss?"_

" _Irina-chan, let's make another baby—"_

That last one almost made her squealed! If this was a manga, her ears would have been puffing out steam! Her pigtails also began to tweak when imagining those moments!

" _Ah~ Issei-kun, I fell in love with you a little bit to hard! I can't stopping thinking about you! I'm so happy…"_ she expressed herself within the confinement of her inner thoughts.

She was determined to get him in her complete grasp, to really develop things more quickly and to be intimate with him as much as possible. Being hugged, or being patted by him on the head was a nice, indescribable warm feeling.

She wanted to have more fun acting spoiled to him.

She wanted to have more time inhaling his scent.

She wanted to keep looking at his face, hearing his voice and those gentle words of his, or simply just lovely gaze at his eyes and just get herself lost in them until she was drunk.

As his fiancé… this was all natural, right?

Was it okay for her, as an Angel, but also his childhood friend, to be always thinking about him and his health and state of mind?

Of course!

But she knew that she shouldn't rush, that she should be patient, and that she needed to make progress one step at a time. What Issei truly needed was psychological healing more than anything else. She doesn't know how much the [Evil Dragon Campaign] affected him, or what exactly he had to endure during his time at the [Forgotten Valley]...

She knew this however: the result of the burden when sacrificing himself to save the world, and witnessing the lifeless bodies of his parents, who were endlessly tortured by Rizevim, developed a side of him that, in truth, completely terrified her.

— _Good. At least I won't feel bad when I rip your guts out._

At that moment, witnessing the confrontation between Issei and Lord Bael, those few words had gripped her heart tightly and dragged it all the way to the bottom of her feet with the speed and velocity of an anchor. The bloodcurdling aura had made her sweat bullets, as it was profound, dense and evil, perhaps more evil-like than Rizevim's aura. The nightmarish dragon phantoms that appeared in his aura were screaming in pain as they lived for an entirely in the void, disguised as his soul. His [Boosted Gear] glitched, causing the announcer to go **[BBBBBBBBBBBBB—]** , which in itself, was a phenomena.

What made it more unsettling was how he smiled when he choked Lord Bael, seemly enjoying watching the life fade away from him.

Akeno and the others described that moment as something far worse than when Issei went into [Juggernaut Drive]. The output of power was weaker than [Juggernaut Drive] of course, but the amount of evil…

If Azazel didn't come, she would have thrown herself at him, and begged him to stop.

" _I don't want to see him like that ever again."_ she tearfully thought. And as an impulse, she tightly clung on to him, pouncing like an animal.

"Waah!" Issei was surprised to feel his back being pressed by heavenly marshmallows; the sensation of her Oppai, and her heart beating made the maple-hair teen blush in embarrassment. Millicas, who was interrupted by Issei's squeal, turn his attention toward the 'self proclaiming Angel'.

"I-Irina, what's wrong with you?!" Issei could not help but ask; she was definitely acting weird since Sirzechs and his family came in! First it was the punch, and now the sudden embrace from behind!

" _I think my lifespan has shorten because of that!"_

"Sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you… I just want a hug." Irina smugly mumbled. She relaxed her head on his shoulder, which caused her hot breath to tickle Issei's neck and ear. His hairs stood on end as her fragrant scent invaded his nostrils, and his heart pounded with fury when her delicate, smooth hands went under his gown to clutch onto his bare chest.

That was when she felt the keloids; it's rigidly and tender sensation made Irina wince. She could only imagine how much pain Issei suffered…

The mapled hair Dragon Demigod was self-conscience about his scars, and Irina touching it gave him a eerie, grotesque feeling in his gut. But… at the same time, the concept of the twin tailed Angel touching him very gently and breathing down his neck… it _aroused_ him, strangely enough. Embarrassment followed instantly, and Issei broke the silence to save his groin from lengthening any further.

"...You just do whatever you please, don't you?" the Dragon Demigod criticizes this troublemaker Angel of his. Irina puffed out her cheeks as a result of hearing Issei's criticism.

"I'm going to hit you again." she half-heartedly threatened.

"..." not wanting to feel more of the aching pain than what he already had, Issei decided to not say another word.

"Baka." she then playfully spewed out a sweet insult, and gave a quick peck on the cheek.

Millicas was laughing as he watched the duo seemly being lovey dovey with each other. The red-haired boy was not mad that Irina have taken the spotlight.

In fact, Millicas needed some time to gather his words and thoughts. The boy felt incline to gain whatever confidence he had, say what needed to be said. Although Sirzechs did had an aura of depression and sadness as he watched his son happily enjoying Issei's company, the Maou Lucifer still had not spoken a word.

With a small blush, he then pulled on Issei's gown to get his complete attention.

"What's wrong Millicas?" Issei asked curiously as to why his nephew was acting a bit shy.

"Ise-niisama… would you please help Otou-sama?" he lightly begged. Issei's brows lifted upwards in confusion, not understanding what Millicas meant. Did he missed something, or did something happened during his disappearance that caused the child to take pity on his father?

"What do you mean?" Issei was about to ask, then suddenly, Grayfia started to emit her aura; Issei, Irina, and Millicas jolted as shrives ran across their spines.

"Millicas-sama!" she yelled in surprise and disbelief.

"Grayfia, it's alright. I have stood silent for long enough." Sirzechs raised his hand in front of his wife to refrain her from saying anything else.

Issei looked toward the direction at the Maou Lucifer, and made a series expression.

"What's going on, Sirzechs?" He coldly asked.

"Ease up Otouto-kun, Millicas here is just excited for the topic to come up!"

"...You were dead silent the entire time. You were making me nervous." Issei said roughly.

"I'm sorry… it's just that… it takes some time to adjust, Ise-kun. You were alive all this time…" he sadly smiled.

"I guess."

"...Ise-kun, thank you for… for everything. Grayfia, Millicas, and I… we're extremely grateful for what you done. I… we owe our lives to you. That's why, I want you to come back to the Gremory Household." he asked softly, almost as if he was begging him.

"I'm not becoming a Devil, Sirzechs." Issei brutally cut down the request. He was not becoming a Devil, no matter what.

"I know. I'm offering you to come back, as family. You're a Dragon Demigod, right? You have your own obligations, and you still haven't cope with your loses. I just you to be with us." Sirzechs explained himself. Issei at first was surprised that Sirzechs knew what he was, then he quickly realized that Ajuka must've told him.

"...Why though?" Issei asked.

"Because we love you. We want you to be part of our family." Sirzechs smiled happily.

" _Family, eh…"_

"That's… I don't know. I need time…"

"I understand Ise-kun. Take your time. But most importantly, I think it's time that you meet your old peerage." Sirzechs said.

"Ise-sama, thank you. You made this family more happy than anything else. This Onee-sama will always support you." Grayfia expressed her gratitude. For a moment, she wanted to hug him tight. But, she had to restrain herself, especially when the Angel girl of his was staring daggers at her.

"Ise-niisama! Come visit us when you get better!" Millicas said excitedly.

As the Maou's family left the room, Issei could only sigh heavily.

"The day isn't even over yet…"

-Line Break-

[Is— Issei—- Issei-sama, are you awake?]

Once again, Hyoudou Issei fell asleep while waiting for the next visit. His consciousness, which took from of his body in the illusion world he fell into, felt something strongly gripping him from behind.

The voice that was calling him gradually became clearer.

[Issei-sama? Are you okay?]

" _Chichigami-chan…? Is that you?"_ the Dragon Demigod asked dreamily, still somewhat half asleep.

[Yes. It's me. I have to tell you something.]

" _What is it…?"_

[In the near future, he will seek you out. It is inevitable.]

" _Ah…. I see."_

[You no longer need the [Twelve Heavenly Breasts] anymore. Still, be prepared.]

" _I will…"_

[The world of [Evie × Etoulde] and your dimension depends on you, Issei-sama. But I will not leave you alone; I will assist you in anyway I can on this side… when you can, come visit me, ne?]

" _I guess, but not right now…"_

[Okay then. By the way, I love the [Oppai Dragon] song.]

" _Very funny…"_

[Well then, goodbye.]

As the being said it's farewell, a dazzling light started to enveloped his body. It's aura was awfully similar to that of Koneko's senjutsu technique…

-Line Break-

(A/N: A few hours later….)

Finally, after a year of disappearing, the group was back together once again.

The peerage entered the room and saw Issei and Irina were watching the TV screen together, and then turned towards then after they noticed the group's presence.

"Hey." Issei nonchalantly said as he saw the dumbfounded faces of his old comards.

Asia was the first to react, and couldn't stop herself from crying once she saw him. She couldn't even remember that she was at a hospital, and immediately let out tears of joy.

"Ise-saaaaaaaaaaaaan!" she cried mightily as her legs moved on her own and rushed to his side immediately.

He embraced her when she reached him, causing the collision to push him back. Next thing he knew, she was hugging him tightly, almost as if he'll disappear again if she didn't.

Everyone else rushed in, with smiles and happiness all around their faces.

" _Arara… so much crying and hugging…"_ he thought.

"I missed you too Asia… I missed every single one of you guys, but I'm back. And I am not going anywhere."

"Yes! Let's stay together forever like we promise!" Asia smiled as she wiped her tears.

"…..Ise-kun, you're so mean… leaving me again after you promised… I'll make sure I'll stay by your side at all times. Please. Don't leave me again….. I don't want to live in a World without you ever again…" Akeno tearfully said as she grabbed the Dragon Demigod's hand.

"Irina! Let me borrow that room! It's time for me and Ise to have steamy intercourse!"

"Xenovia, are you crazy!?"

The duo holy sword users immediately started their rowdy argument, like always. Hey

Ravel and Koneko smiled heartwarmingly as they gotten closer to Issei.

Kiba was leaning against the wall as he watched the reunion fondly.

" _Glad to have you back, pal…"_ he kept his heartfelt comment to himself.

The only person that didn't went was Rias….

-Line Break-

It has been a few days since the incident with Lord Bael, and Issei was discharged from the hospital. After gathering his belongings, he immediately teleported to his hometown, Kuoh, Japan.

(Enderal Soundtrack: Homecoming [2:20 to 2:58])

When he inhaled his first gasp of oxygen, it filled him with such emotions that made his eyes teary.

Nothing had really changed. And he was glad. It also saddened him a bit, since it was obviously that he was the one who changed, not the world.

But it was fine. He embraced it.

Change comes with Time, and as the Dragon Demigod of Time, Issei knew that better than anyone else.

That's why, before actually starting his new life, he had to do something important. Something that should have been done before getting into the mess he involved himself at Heaven and other locations that he briefly visited.

He knelt down towards a small monument at the local cemetery. The inscription spelled out his family name 'Hyoudou' in kanji. Gifts, flowers, and accessories were neatly placed in front of the monument.

It was at that moment when he had seen a vision...

 _[…It's nice to meet you, I, I am your otou-san.]_

The baby's brown, chocolate eyes finally met Gorou's eyes. In that instant, Gorou Hyoudou, Issei's father, could no longer hold back his tears. Tears streamed down his face as he continued to smile at the baby in his arms.

 _[…Thank you. That you were born…really…thank you…]_

The Dragon Demigod's mother and father cried tears of joy together, and she then asked Gorou:

 _[…Have we decided on the name?]_

 _[…Ah, it's [Issei]. That embodies the hope that'll he'll be able to live an honest life.]_

After hearing this name, Issei's mother made a weak laugh.

 _[…Ah, that isn't very creative.]_

 _[T-This is all I could think of even after trying so hard!]_

 _[Ufufu. …But, that name has a good sound. Issei. Ise. My child.]_

 _[Ah, our child. —Yes, Issei.]_

Issei blissfully smiled at the flashback.

"Kaa-chan, Tou-chan… I'm home."

(End of soundtrack)

 **End of Arc II**

* * *

 _ **A/N: Once again, thank you guys for reading!**_

 _ **Now that you had reached toward the end of the chapter, here are my plans for the future of this story:**_

 _ **The beginning of Arc III will come during the summer of 2019, if not, later, depending on my circumstances. For now, this story will be labeled as 'complete'.**_

 _ **This also allows me to have some leeway and time for continuing the SLASHDRAGØN project, which its sole purpose is to edit the entirety of the story. If I want to continue, then I must at least try to fix some of the mistakes I made in the past. However, if you guys are really interested, I could use some experience betas to speed up the process a bit. You know how the saying goes: 'two pairs of eyes is better than one'…. is that a saying?**_

 _ **Here's some more additional information I would like you guys to take notice:**_

 _ **Ingvild- At first, I wanted her and Issei to meet in this chapter, but I decide to play it safe and wait until Shin has been fully translated to understand her personality more. Instead, I have briefly introduced her during that small meeting with Ajuka and Tobio. Although you guys haven't seen much about Ingvild, it is inevitable that she will be an important asset to Issei in the upcoming Arc.**_

 _ **Rias- Issei doesn't hate Rias for marrying Riser, nor does he hate Riser. He simply moved on to Irina. Will Rias possibly go towards the point of Netorare? Will Issei accept her love once again? That's a story for another day… I will say however that Rias and Riser did had sexual relations, and whatever happened, is irreversible. And I am not pulling a plot device out of my ass when I'm this far into the story just for things can go back to its natural state. It's called a AU for a reason. And no, I do not hate Rias, I just like Irina more XD. In all honesty though, I am simply just establishing my story. Don't like it? Well, there are plenty of Issei x Rias fanfics out there, plus canon. I do apologize if I sound like an asshole, but I'm just keeping it real.**_

 _ **Harem- Speaking about the harem… I've been avoiding this subject for far too long. If you guys are wondering about it, well, sorry to say, my mindset isn't not currently in that department. You know the reason already :).**_

 _ **If you guys have any questions, PM me!**_

 _ **Adios~!**_


End file.
